December 21st, 1998 — 6:34 p.m.

In the Slytherin common room dormitory, Blaise was adjusting his tie in front of the mirror. He was wearing a navy blue suit that complimented exactly what he liked about himself: he was tall and slim, with broad shoulders. In just ten minutes he would finally be outside the Great Hall to join Ginny. Maybe tonight he could finally try to get a little closer to her? She had quite a temper, which he loved; she spiced up each of their conversations with a touch of humour and wit. Maybe because she was so much like him was the reason he was so drawn to her? He'd never met a girl with that kind of confidence. Tonight, he knew he wouldn't lay eyes on anyone but her. He smiled at his reflection.

There was a knock at the dormitory door. The last of his roomates had left a few minutes earlier, so Blaise was completely alone. He went to open the door and let Pansy in uninvited. She was wearing a turquoise blue dress that was a little too tight, which he felt was simply skimpy.

"Come in, I guess," he grumbled.

She had a funny look on her face, as if she was nervous but trying to act as if she wasn't. Which didn't work, of course.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Pansy?" asked Blaise as he went back to the mirror to put on his jacket.

She clasped her fingers together and walked behind him to look at his reflection in the mirror. "You look handsome tonight," she said.

"Thank you,"

She lowered her head and pursed her lips. Blaise noticed it in the reflection and raised his eyebrows. "Anything else?" he said as he turned to his bed and grabbed his wand, which he was about to shove into his pockets.

"Yes," she said. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Why are you—"

"Petrificus Totalus," she said quietly, wand pointed at his back.

The Slytherin felt all his muscles stiffen and freeze, and he fell forward, crashing into his bed. What the fuck...? Pansy raised her wand and used a levitation spell to make his body lie completely on his side in bed. She pulled the covers up over him, and walked around the bed to finally kneel in front of his face. Blaise stared at her.

"I had no choice," she whispered. "It has to be done. She must be stopped." She pressed her lips to his forehead, stroked his cheek, and pulled back one of his hairs. She stood up. "Maybe one day you'll be able to forgive me."

She left the dorm, taking one last look behind her. From this angle, anyone could swear that a sick or sleeping Slytherin was resting and had simply skipped the Ball. She rushed out of the common room, then ran outside to the greenhouses, her hot breath exhaling in white steam from her mouth. She knocked three times with her hand on the wall, paused, and knocked twice.

Seconds later, Duncan stepped out of the darkness and walked towards Pansy. He wore an elegant formal suit and his blond hair looked white in the moonlight. In his hand he held a tiny flask. He smiled broadly at her.

"Good evening, beautiful. Do you have what I need?"

"Yes, I do." She handed him Blaise's hair, which he squeezed between his thumb and forefinger.

"You're amazing, Pansy," he said, slipping the hair into the flask and shaking it.

He looked up at her and examined her from head to toe. "You look lovely. Come here, come closer."

Pansy complied, obsessed by the pull of his gaze. The intensity of his stare made her feel safe. He'd always made her feel beautiful.

Duncan took her cheek in his palm. "I know you've had your doubts about this," he said. "But now I need to know if you're still in."

Pansy bit her lip, but nodded, enjoying the warmth of his palm against her face. Of course she was attracted to Blaise, but Duncan actually bothered to treat her like a woman of significance.

"I'm still in," she said, smiling tenderly at him.

He kissed her without lingering on her lips. He looked at her again, making sure she understood his gaze.

"Listen to me," he began. "Do you remember the plan? I'm not exactly sure how long the Polyjuice will work, but I think I have at least thirty minutes. In ten minutes—"

"In ten minutes, by the time I'm cold enough, I'll go back into the castle, erase all my tracks and pretend to be worried."

"Wait until she's alone. And throw in some tears if you can."

"Oh, she'll come," laughed Pansy. "Trust me, she wouldn't miss a chance to play hero."

Duncan smiled proudly and took her face in his hands. "Don't forget," he whispered, "when this is over, I'll meet you at the highest tower in the castle. We can leave together, if that's what you still want."

Pansy blinked, feeling the chills creeping up her skin. "I'll meet you there."

"You still want me to do this, don't you?" Duncan asked, frowning.

The Slytherin's witch gaze darkened, but an evil smile stretched across her lips. "I don't believe in the Mudblood of this world. Kill her. Even better if you can make her suffer."

"Good girl," Duncan murmured in delight.

December 21st, 1998 — 7:23 p.m.

Draco walked over to the drinks table, waited for three students to serve themselves and looked behind him to see where his Gryffindor had decided to sit. He spotted her a little further away, watching her friends dance with a wide smile on her face. He was happy to know that she was feeling good and having fun. A few minutes passed while he waited for a chance to help himself to drinks. He filled two glasses of pumpkin juice and began to make his way to Hermione's chair, watching carefully where he stepped to avoid spilling the drinks.

"Well," he said when he got close, "you seem to like pumpkin juice, so I hope you—"

He cut himself off when he saw no one in the chair where she had been sitting only a few minutes ago. He looked around, glasses still in hand, and scanned the dance floor. Ginny, Harry and Ron were still out there dancing their arses off, but Hermione wasn't with them. Had she left for the bathroom? He decided to wait five minutes. He put the glasses on the nearest table and crossed his arms, glancing around the room.

After a moment that seemed too long, he approached the nearest student and grabbed his arm. "Have you seen Hermione?"

"No, sorry."

He asked four students, but they all replied the same. His nerves began to fester inside him. What had he missed in just a few minutes? He grabbed the arm of a fifth student and repeated his question.

"I don't know, mate, I saw her leave with Parkinson."

Draco froze and frowned, but the student had moved away to enjoy the dance. Pansy? Why would Hermione leave with Pansy? Discomfort was beginning to grip him. He dashed to the dance floor and reached Ginny. He stopped her dance by placing a firm hand on her arm.

"Freckles, someone just told me that Hermione left with Pansy," he said as he leaned towards her.

Ginny stopped moving and began to look around. "What, really? But Pansy is right there!"

Draco swivelled in the direction Ginny was pointing and spotted Pansy, red-cheeked and slightly dishevelled, laughing with two other Slytherin girls.

"Come with me," he asked through his teeth.

He walked over to Pansy, and Ginny leaned over to Harry and Ron to tell them to follow her. Draco took Pansy's arm.

"Sorry, ladies," he apologised as he pulled Pansy away from her little group.

Ginny, Harry and Ron were soon behind Draco.

"Where is she?" snarled Draco.

The music was loud enough to drown out their conversation to the others. Pansy frowned, looking falsely confused. "Who?"

The Slytherin pushed her further against the wall. "Don't mess with me," he spat. "Where's Hermione?"

Suddenly, Pansy lost all innocence on her face and her features distorted into a disgusted sneer. "She's exactly where she belongs!" she retorted vehemently.

Draco felt a dull urge to clutch her throat in his hands and shake her to get the answers out of her. He felt like he was wasting time, and it was seriously disturbing him.

"What does that mean?" growled Harry, taking a sharp step forward at Draco's side. "What did you do?"

A mocking smile crossed Pansy's mouth, but she didn't answer. Draco drew his wand in a slow motion and pointed it at her throat.

"Where...is...she?" he articulated, threateningly.

Pansy's expression remained unchanged and she shrugged with an innocent look that Draco knew well enough to know she was merely faking. She was stalling, and every minute she could keep them here was a small victory.

"Careful, Draco," she whispered, lifting her chin towards him, "don't do something you'll regret..."

"What... did you... do," Draco demanded as he broke the words between his teeth, thrusting his wand further under her jaw.

"Malfoy..." Ginny whispered behind him.

"Not now, Freckles," he grumbled, his eyes still on Pansy.

"Draco," she repeated. "Look at her shoes."

The Slytherin looked down and noticed that Pansy's shoes were wet and dirty, and the bottom of her dress was damp too. Draco breathed out angrily through his nose.

"Were you outside?"

Pansy smiled and winked at him naughtily. "Anyway," she said, "by the time you find her you'll be too late."

The Slytherin's eyes widened in shock and he felt a terrible feeling of dread in his gut. He didn't have a second to lose.

"Ginny, I think you should go and find Blaise," he urged her.

"But... Blaise hasn't arrived yet," said the redhead.

"Are you joking?" The Slytherin exclaimed. "Blaise would never have missed this evening with you."

At that moment, Pansy's smile widened even more and she couldn't help but giggle weakly. All eyes turned to her. "Oh, sorry," she apologised. "It's just that Blaise... Blaise had to be removed. To avoid... complications."

"What the hell?" growled Ginny.

Draco, feeling the rage twist painfully in his chest, turned to Ron. "Weasley, can I trust you to find Blaise?" he asked in a tone that called for no negotiation. "This story smells very bad…"

Ron clenched his jaw but nodded. He wasn't afraid to use whatever means necessary to get the job done. "Let me do it," he said. "Just go. You can't wait any longer."

Draco, Harry and Ginny dashed for the exit and left the Great Hall. No one really noticed them. Ron took Draco's place right in front of Pansy and pointed his wand at her throat too.

"Ugh, a fucking Weasley…" Pansy spat.

"Where's Zabini?" snapped Ron through his teeth. "What did you do to him?"

"I told you, wanker. He had to be removed."

"I know you, Parkinson. You've been fawning over him for months. You wouldn't hurt him."

Pansy frowned and lost her edge. Ron, noticing the change in the Slytherin's face, knew he had hit the nail on the head.

"I'll let you choose," he grumbled. "You tell me where he is, or I'll make you tell me."

Pansy giggled sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Dream on, Weasley. No fucking Gryffindor would dare—"

"Impero."

Ron was furious. He grabbed Pansy's wrist. Her eyes were clouded. "Lead me to Blaise Zabini," he ordered.

The Slytherin girl gave him an absent smile and left the Great Hall at once. Ron dashed after her, heart beating fiercely against his chest.

December 21st, 1998 — 7:36 p.m.

Draco was running through the snow, not knowing exactly where to go. He would ruin his shoes, but he didn't care. The cold pinched his lungs and smacked his cheeks. Why had he even turned his attention away from her for only a few minutes? A few minutes was all it took to... No, shut up.He didn't know where to go. She could be anywhere. You'll be too late.

His breathing was quickening. His anxiety was growing. He could not lose control. He could hear Potter and Freckles running behind him. His teeth wanted to grind in the cold, but after a minute or two someone mumbled, he thought it was Ginny, and he was no longer cold. She had probably cast a warming spell on him to make his jacket windproof.

"Malfoy!" cried Harry breathlessly. "Look at the ground! To the right!"

Draco did so without stopping to run and noticed footprints, heading towards the greenhouses. They turned in that direction and arrived just in front of the snowy greenhouses after a minute. Ginny stopped, panting, and looked around to peer into the darkness. Her breath came out of her mouth in white wisps.

"There's a cigarette butt here..." she observed as she nudged it with her foot.

The Slytherin did not stop and continued to follow the footprints.

"There are two sets of footprints from here," Harry said, picking up his pace.

Hurry, hurry, hurry. Ginny dashed behind them, trying to swallow her concern for Blaise as best she could. He had to be removed. Her brother would find him. She had to find Hermione. Quick, quick, quick. The night air rushed into her lungs like an icy gust.

The Slytherin continued straight ahead and soon he was running through the border of the Forbidden Forest and slipping into the shadows of the trees. Wand clenched in his fist, he swallowed his icy saliva. His heart wanted to leap out of his chest to beg for respite.

A horrible scream tore through the silence of the Forest. All three of them stopped for a few seconds and Ginny let out a sob of terror and despair. Draco felt his blood boil and lunged towards the echo of the scream. He could recognise her scream among a hundred others...

"Follow me!" he shouted.

Harry trailed Draco closely. It wasn't the first time he'd run into a Forest with a sense of danger nagging at him.

Another wail echoed through the trees and the sobs became clearer. And finally, Draco saw two black shadows against the white of the snow. A crouching figure. One lying flat on the ground.

"HERMIONE!" he shouted.

The crouching figure leapt to his feet and Draco could not make out who it was, except for blonde hair like his own. A red veil clouded his vision. An anger bomb exploded inside him, tempestuous and dark. He looked for a few seconds at Hermione's motionless body in the snow and rushed after the runaway, filled with fury. Whoever this stranger was, he had to stop him. He had to make him pay. He had to make him suffer.

"STUPEFY!" Draco shouted, wand pointed at the runaway's back.

The spell missed its target and shattered against a tree. Draco tried again several times and grazed him once.

"SECTUMSEMPRA!"

The spell skimmed the stranger's arm.

"CRUCIO!"

No success. Draco could no longer control the spells coming out of his mouth. Whether it was light or dark magic, he recited everything he knew to stop the one running ahead of him. He was far too agile, fast, and could even hear him laughing. Fucking laughing.

The stranger, some fifty metres further on, raised his wand to the sky without breaking stride.

"MORSMORDRE!"

A black ribbon flew from his wand and the Dark Mark appeared in the sky, hovering over the Forest like an omen of doom.

Draco's lungs were ablaze and agonizing with breathlessness and freezing air, but his legs kept trying to pick up the pace. No one could apparate in or out of Hogwarts territory. He had to catch him...

Ginny and Harry had stopped in front of Hermione as soon as they reached her. Ginny fell to her knees beside her friend, completely ignoring her dress as it became soaked in blood.

"Oh my God," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Oh God, Harry…"

Harry looked down at his best friend and felt the bile rise to his throat. Hermione was lying in a cradle of red snow, shaking violently. Blood had spattered all around her and surrounded her like a gruesome aura. Multiple small rings of burns speckled her bare skin, raw flesh, melted skin. Slashes, some light and some deep, scarred almost every intact space on her limbs. And the blood. All that blood. Thick, black blood still flowed from her cuts and made the fabric of her dress glisten wherever a blade had reached it. Her dress was torn. Tears glistened under her still open, frightened eyes.

Harry had to keep his cool. It was the only way he could be truly helpful. Ginny had started to cry. She didn't know where to put her hands on Hermione. No part of her body was undamaged and not coated in blood. Hermione seemed to be trying to shape words, but nothing coherent was coming out of her throat. Either from lack of strength or a broken voice.

"Wa... Wa... Wa..." was all she could manage to say.

Her eyes were wide with a sense of emergency. Ginny leaned towards her attentively, eyes filled with tears, and listened once more.

"Wa... Wan..." Hermione repeated under her breath.

"Wand!" cried Ginny, looking around. "She wants her wand! Harry, where's her wand?!

Harry glanced around in the snow but didn't waste another moment. "Accio Hermione's wand!" he called out.

A few seconds later, a small piece of wood shot through the Forest and landed directly in Harry's hand. He knelt down and slipped it into Hermione's hand, which was twitching with odd tremors.

"Harry," Ginny articulated, "Harry, run and get Draco... Hurry... He has to come back here. She... Harry, this is too serious. He has to be with her. RUN!"

Ginny's tone was so pleading that Harry didn't need to ask any questions. He rose to his feet at lightning speed and dashed into the Forest on the Slytherin's trail. Ginny raised her wand over Hermione, swallowed the lump in her throat, and began to cast a simple healing charm that she had never tried before. But when blood spurted from a gash and splashed onto her face, Ginny stopped and burst into tears. If she continued, she could make it worse... She pressed her forehead against her friend's.

"You're not alone, honey," she cried. "I'm here. You will be helped very soon. I promise you. Just hold on. Everything will be alright. I'm here. I'm not leaving. Just hold on…"

Hermione had raised her wand a few inches and was focusing with all her might on performing the spell she was trying to mutter between her lips. Scripto Sanguis.

Harry walked around the trees, ignoring the burning in his chest and the fatigue that weakened him. Further away, like echoes, he heard Draco's cries. For Hermione... For Hermione, go faster. Go faster! Harry breathed in through his nose, let out an exclamation of effort and pain, and sped up his run. It was a real sprint. His heart pounded in his ribs. His insides were overheating. But he was gaining ground. At last he could see the back of the Slytherin who was still running...

"MALFOY!" shouted Harry.

Draco didn't stop, either because he didn't hear him or because he ignored him. Harry saw the little version of Hermione with her bushy hair and longer front teeth, extending her hand to him for the first time. The punch she threw at Malfoy in third year. Her SPEW badges, her tie tucked in very neatly. Harry felt tears prickling at the corner of his eyes. His best friend was dying at that very moment, and he was off chasing a stupid arrogant Slytherin through the Forest.

"MALFOY! STOP!"

The moon highlighted the whiteness of the snow. Harry was running right after the Slytherin's footprints. He couldn't go on much longer at this speed. Grunting in frustration, he raised his wand and pointed it in front of him.

"IMPEDIMENTA!"

The spell hit the tree just inches from Draco. Harry shouted in anger, ignoring the tears that were falling down his chin.

"DRACO! STOP...! COME BACK! IT'S…HER!"

Finally, the Slytherin jerked to a halt, his chest heaving. Potter had never called him by his first name. So he knew. With a simple word Potter had shouted, he knew. Harry caught up with him in a few strides and bent down, hands on his thighs, to catch his breath. Harry was crying without sobbing.

"Draco..." he breathed out. "Come back! Hermione... this is serious. I don't know... It's horrible. She needs you. I've never seen anything... so... horrible. Come back."

Draco's face broke down and he lost all emotion. He hadn't been able to get his heart rate down, but he didn't wait another second before turning back, and dashed at breakneck speed back the way he came. To Hermione.

December 21st, 1998 — 7:38 p.m.

Pansy walked briskly towards the Slytherin common room, Ron on her heels. She muttered the password and the portrait opened. Ron tightened his grip on his wand. This was only the second time he'd entered the Slytherin common room. Pansy went up the stairs and into the boys' dormitory. As soon as she opened the door, Ron noticed that it was deserted, except for a lump in a bed.

"Is he asleep or what?" he asked, confused.

Pansy remained silent, her face still blank, and waited, hands folded behind her back. Ron approached Blaise's bed and finally saw his face, and his eyes, wide open and distraught.

"Finite!" said Ron.

Immediately the Slytherin regained the use of his body, pushed back the covers and leapt to his feet. As soon as the spell was broken, Pansy regained her senses. She didn't remember moving in the common room... Blaise was quicker and had rushed towards her, grabbing her by both shoulders and slamming her back against the nearest wall. Ron was behind him, wand pointed at Pansy for backup.

"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT, PANSY?" shouted Blaise. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

Pansy looked at him in disgust, blushing with fury. "IT HAD TO BE DONE!"

Blaise shook her violently, and Pansy hit her head against the wall.

"TELL ME WHAT YOU DID!" the Slytherin repeated with intensity.

"She was outside," Ron said, glaring at Pansy. "She said we'd be too late…"

A flood of anger and fear swept over Blaise. He clenched his jaw and shook Pansy again. "TOO LATE FOR WHAT? PANSY! ANSWER ME, FUCK!"

"At this point in time," she retorted, "I'd believe it's already over, or at least it's nearing the end…"

Blaise released her, stunned, and pointed his wand between her eyes. He never broke eye contact. "You were part of this from the fucking beginning, weren't you," he gritted.

"Finally you're paying attention!"

The Slytherin brought his face close to hers, towering over her, and stared down at her with his threatening gaze. His breath was shaking. "Tell me... what... you... did," he said.

"I can't fucking believe it!" she spat. "You're all getting yourselves in such a state just for a Mudblood?! The fucking golden girl!"

"Parkinson..." Ron warned.

"Let her talk," ordered Blaise.

"Since the beginning," continued Pansy, her tone becoming a little more hysterical. "Since the beginning of the semester, that fucking Mudblood has been getting all the attention! She's made herself the focal point of everything! What is she still doing at Hogwarts? Why do the Mudbloods continue to have the same rights and privileges as other wizards who are actually directly related by blood to other wizards?! SHE. DOES. NOT. DESERVE. HER. MAGIC. Her fucking brother deserved what he got! Our world needs a Lord to follow! We need an order, a hierarchy, an eradication of the lower classes so that the higher wizards can FINALLY rule!"

Her chest was heaving rapidly to the rhythm of her jerky breathing. Her eyes grew wide with the insanity of the words that poured from her mouth like a waterfall of delirium. The two Gryffindors listened, silent, jaws firmly in place.

"Wizards have powers that stupid Muggles can't even begin to imagine with their ridiculous little mindsets shut to anything out of the ordinary! WE can subdue them! WE can rule them! Don't you see? Purebloods can actually represent the world's elite of both worlds combined! Imagine the wonders we could accomplish!"

Ron growled. Blaise could no longer stand her words, but Pansy continued.

"I took matters into my own hands," she grumbled. "I found someone who thought like me! Or rather, he found me. And we worked together tirelessly to make our goal possible... to torment her as much as possible. YES. Yes, it was I who cursed Lawrence on his way to the kitchens! Yes, it was I who cursed a man in the pub so he would lay his hands on Granger. I was the one who tampered with her potion before the class even started. Yes, it was me, Weasley, who found you in the library and cursed you while you were returning your books!"

Pansy paused and lifted her chin proudly to challenge them with her eyes.

"But tonight... well, tonight, the real trick was that she died thinking it was you all along, Blaise, who was behind it. Thanks for your hair."

Died. The word hit Blaise and Ron like a cannonball that pulverized their chests. Ron let out a scream of rage and immediately cast several spells in her direction. Pansy had anticipated that this would lead to this situation and had already ducked. A fast and furious fight broke out between the three of them, two against one, breaking the four-poster beds, tearing the sheets and ripping the curtains. She was sly. Fast. And hellish. She was able to block everything and had time to counterattack with ferocity. Ron was hit in the chest by a spell and crashed into a dresser, and Pansy took advantage of this to create a diversion, distracting Blaise's attention for just a second, and hit him on the shoulder too. This was enough to make him fall. Pansy didn't hesitate a second longer and dashed out of the dorm, then the common room. Running towards the astronomy tower. Running towards freedom. Running to her Pureblood kingdom.

December 21st, 1998 — 7:51 p.m.

The branches scratched his face and tore his shirt. He could feel the bite of the cold, but thankfully he wasn't freezing thanks to Ginny's spell. His feet were snapping off branches, crunching in the snow. He was running at full speed. Sweat on his back. Harry on his heels. Hermione. She needs you.

He came within sight of Ginny kneeling over Hermione's body, weeping, stroking her blood-stained hair. When Ginny saw him, a high pitched sob came from her throat.

"She... she's unconscious now," Ginny sniffed. "She... She's… She did one last spell."

The Slytherin stopped his run and dropped down right next to Hermione. His windpipe was burning. He looked at every inch of her body. Every cut. Every burn. Her blue lips. Her white skin. I promise nothing will happen to you. Not on my watch. In the hollow of his throat, a hoarse cry wanted to flay its way into his mouth. His breath caught in his chest. His heart drummed against his rib cage. Fear licked at him like a desperate tongue.

"What spell has she done?" he croaked, his voice raspy and broken.

"Scripto Sanguis," Ginny whispered.

Draco jerked his head up and looked around. Ginny stood up too, her dress and hands stained with blood, and took a few steps forward. Hermione had used her last bit of strength, her last shreds of consciousness, to write in a patch of pristine snow with her blood.

"It was all Duncan MacMillan," Harry read, his voice low.

When Draco also looked at the bloody inscription on a chunk of virgin snow, he felt the sting of tears in his eyes. MacMillan, as in one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight? Of course he knew them all, he could name them all like the back of his hand. He didn't have time to think about the name right now. Had she meant to write "MacMiller"? He did not wait any longer. He took Hermione's bloody body in his arms and started to run towards the castle under the ghoulish eye of the Dark Mark above. Even though his legs were stiff. Even though his lungs could not take it anymore. Harry and Ginny sprang up behind him.

He held her close. She was light. Too light. He could feel the faint heat of her breath against his chest. She was breathing. Only when he was out of the Forbidden Forest did he realise he was crying. His tears were sliding down his cheeks and streaming towards his ears in the wind.

December 21st, 1998 — 7:53 p.m.

Ron let out a grunt of pain and stood up, while Blaise was already jumping after Pansy.

"Come on, Weasley!" exclaimed Blaise.

His shoulder was sore, but he could go on. He dashed out of the Slytherin common room. He could hear Pansy's victorious sniggering; she had a big head start. Ron had stood up and launched himself behind Blaise. Died. Face distorted with anger, he let out a scream under the strain of his run.

Pansy was heading back down the stairs towards the Astronomy Tower, which was directly above Hogwarts' main entrance. Duncan would be there. Yes, he'd be able to achieve what they'd both been waiting for for months. She finished descending the staircase and continued on to the first floor. Blaise was still descending the stairs. A smile crossed her face. She was excited. She was winning. Finally, the Purebloods were winning.

She stopped abruptly in her tracks when she saw Draco, Harry and Ginny enter the main entrance. Their voices came to her clearly.

"Hermione..." Draco cried. "Hermione, please... you can't die. Not now. Not here!"

She's not fucking dead? Pansy snarled inside of her.

"Potter!" shouted Draco as he continued to run towards the infirmary. "Warn McGonagall, NOW!"

Harry unleashed a Patronus. A silver stag leapt from his wand and disappeared, galloping towards McGonagall, wherever she was. Dark anger shot through Pansy, who ran again, this time straight towards them, and pointed her wand at Hermione's body in Draco's arms.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" she yelled.

The green streak missed Hermione by inches, and nearly hit Draco in the process. The blond Slytherin didn't stop though and ran towards the infirmary, followed by Ginny. Harry immediately looked to see who had cast the Killing Curse. Blaise, who was finally catching up with Pansy, had not missed a thing. As soon as he saw the green bolt, all sense of composure, control and friendship evaporated from his mind.

Pansy screamed with rage and disappointment and disappeared up the stairs to the Astronomy Tower. Blaise, Ron and Harry went after her. Blaise's jaw ached as he gritted his teeth. Finally at the top, legs burning with exhaustion and short of breath, he came upon Pansy, who seemed to be looking for something. Or someone. The black sky was dotted with stars.

"He said..." she mumbled. "He said he would be here…"

"EXPELLIARMUS!" shouted Blaise, pointing his wand right at her.

White mist escaped from his mouth. Pansy's wand flew out of her hands and straight into Blaise's fingers. He didn't hesitate any longer. She had tried to kill Hermione and had almost succeeded. In doing so, she had also almost killed his friend. He pointed Pansy's own wand at her.

"CRUCIO!"

The witch crumpled to the ground and screamed in pain, writhing on the cold stones of the tower. Harry and Ron said nothing. After a moment, Blaise broke the spell and an unforgiving silence fell over the top of the tower. A sour taste in his mouth, Blaise exhaled with difficulty.

It was Harry who raised his wand. "Petrificus Totalus," he called.

Pansy stood still. Blaise and Ron came forward, lifted her body and dragged it inside, into Sinistra's office. The Slytherin threw his wand beside her and looked away. His hands were shaking.

"Harry..." he began. "How bad is it?"

Harry blinked and swallowed. "Bad," he said.

Blaise wanted to cry. Ron closed his eyes.

December 21st, 1998 — 7:54 p.m.

McGonagall was in the Great Hall, a glass of Gillywater in her hand, sipping quietly as she watched the students dance. She was seated at a round table that Flitwick had just left to enjoy the next song. Concentrating on all the students dancing together, she didn't immediately notice the Patronus galloping towards her at full speed.

She blinked in surprise when she finally noticed a silver stag leaping towards her, above all the students' heads. She frowned. The stag stopped right in front of her on the table. No one paid any attention; the Patronus blended in with the other winter decorations.

The stag opened its mouth, but it was Harry Potter's voice that reached the headmistress' ears.

"Hermione is badly injured. Attacked in the Forbidden Forest. The Dark Mark is visible. Keep the students inside the castle. Call for help. NOW."

The stag vanished. McGonagall jumped to her feet, almost tipping her chair backwards. She didn't want to alert the students attending the Ball, but she badly wanted to gather all the students out of the castle and the Great Hall. She rushed to Slughorn and the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Oakwood, and urgently asked them to get all the students outside back into the Great Hall, as there was some kind of threat in the Forest.

"A student is badly injured," she told them over the sound of music. "I must warn the Aurors. Protect the students. At any cost."

She grabbed Professors Sprout and Sinistra and asked them to comb the castle and send all the wandering students in the corridors to the Great Hall. She asked Flitwick and Hooch to keep an eye on the students already in the Great Hall. She did not know the situation. All she could hear over and over in her head was Harry's voice, "Hermione is badly injured. Attacked." She had to alert the Aurors.

The Professors split up for their respective tasks and McGonagall dashed to her office to call the Aurors over the fire in her chimney, her heart racing. She would have to get back outside as soon as possible to remove the Dark Mark before too many people saw it.

December 21st, 1998 — 8:06 p.m.

Draco kicked the doors of the infirmary open, and the doors crashed against the walls. His arms were numb from the effort, but he hadn't loosened his grip on her.

"Madam Pomfrey!" he shouted. "HELP!"

The nurse rushed from her office and let out a gasp of horror.

"Please," Draco begged, letting his tears flow freely, "please do something, anything. She was outside…"

"Oh, God..." whispered Madam Pomfrey, waving her wand to levitate all her equipment already. "Put her down here. Gently."

Draco complied. His white shirt was stained with blood. Hermione's dress was in shreds. She was beginning to fidget, her eyes moving rapidly under her lids.

"Please, please, please," the Slytherin continued.

Ginny wept silently, watching the scene helplessly. Madam Pomfrey was running her wand over Hermione's body and reciting multiple enchantments. Only the small burns were beginning to disappear. She cast a spell that allowed her to see the body like an X-ray.

"She's hypothermic," the nurse muttered. "She has two broken ribs. Several muscles punctured by a blade. We have to stop the bleeding…"

Draco gasped, but felt his head spin. Madam Pomfrey continued her charms, but soon Hermione's body began to convulse.

"I don't..." Madam Pomfrey. "Her injuries are too severe for my abilities alone. I'm trained in magical wounds, but she... I was able to warm her up, but I need to get her to St. Mungo's."

Ginny covered her face with her hands and cried. Draco clutched his partner's hand. "Hermione!" he said. "Hermione, please!"

"She's running out of time, Mr. Malfoy," Madam Pomfrey said. "I must leave at once. Mobilicorpus!"

Hermione's body levitated over the bed and followed Madam Pomfrey to her office. Draco dashed after her, his heart racing, still not letting go of the brunette's hand. The nurse grabbed a handful of Floo powder and stood in the fireplace.

"Hermione!" shouted Draco.

Madam Pomfrey threw the powder at her feet. A green flame licked the hearth. They disappeared.

"Fuck, fuck, FUCK!" the Slytherin howled.

He angrily wiped the tears still streaming down his face and rushed out of the infirmary, past the blood-stained bed where Hermione had laid only two minutes.

"DRACO!" shouted Ginny, who lunged to catch up with him.

The Slytherin was running down the corridors. In his head, the red letters in the snow that formed Duncan's name remained stamped behind his eyes. Hermione, no... He ran down the stairs at tremendous speed. The smell of her blood plastered to his nostrils. Her torn dress. He dashed outside and headed straight for the Forest, right under the Dark Mark. He would find him. He would make him bleed. He would kill him.

"DRACO!" Ginny kept shouting behind her back.

With the wind in his face, his hair unravelling from his speed, Draco did not stop. I promised... I promised nothing would happen to her... A pain wracked his organs, biting deep into his flesh. The anxiety wiped out all other emotions one by one, like stars slowly dying. He imagined a faceless Duncan bent over her, running his dirty hands all over her. Cutting her. Tearing her apart like a wolf with a rabbit. Shaking her shapeless body clasped between his jaw. Her endless loud screams fading into oblivion. She was sobbing his name. Calling him. Waiting. He never showed up and her hope had collapsed.

He could see the blood in her hair. The blood dripping from her mouth. Her mouth... Her lips... He threaded his fingers through her thick hair, playing with her curls, caressing the base of her neck and the line of her thin jaw. An agonizing jolt pierced his chest. The idea of losing her, the idea of losing her... The idea grew like a dark beast that began to gnaw at every bone in every limb. Hermione... He felt his soul fracture.

Draco dropped to the snow, right in front of the greenhouses, unable to continue.

He gave up.

He gave in.

He let the sobs seize his body and grip his every muscle. He let himself fall into a bottomless pit.

"Oh, Draco..." gasped Ginny, who also stopped.

He pressed his bare palms into the snow. Hermione... A choked complaint caught in his throat. He wanted to see the light in her eyes. He wanted to hear her laugh. He wanted to tease her. To call her Granger one more time. One last time. The storm stirred between his ribs and rose to the surface behind his teeth.

Raising his head, unleashing his apocalypse, he screamed with all his might. The greenhouses' windows exploded and a shower of glass fell on the snow and close to them. Ginny jumped. Tongues of fire leapt from the greenhouses and engulfed the entire building, roaring, violent and uncontrollable. The orange glow of the fire illuminated both their figures.

"Draco..." Ginny whispered as she knelt down beside him.

She put a hand on his shoulder, but he didn't stop sobbing. His fists opened and closed on handfuls of snow. He needed to hold on, to hold on to something, but everything was melting in his hands. The heat of the flames washed over them. Ginny put her arms around the Slytherin and held him, kneeling in the snow. She let her own sobs mingle with his. Draco let himself be held, and the fire kept on raging.

But, awoken by grief, our spirits speak
"How could you believe that the life within the seed
that grew arms that reached
And a heart that beat.
And lips that smiled
And eyes that cried.
Could ever die?"

The The, Love is Stronger Than Death

oOoOoOoOo

My super team : Angelina, Wise_Owl26 and enchanted4life. Thank you for working on this capter and making sure it's good. Thank you readers for reading this far, it means the world. This chapter was action-packed, I hope you were able to follow!

Let me know what you think, any review brights up my day!

Hope you guys have a nice week so far, x

Axiomea