I am sorry to inform you. We will not be sending the troops you asked for. We feel there is not need for
these troops and have complete faith in the fact that Hermione is not with the Malfoys. With the best of luck finding her.
Minster of Magic Tom Hathaway
Harry was so frustrated he ran out of his and Hermione's room and headed towards Ron's. Ron and Padma were both startled when the door flew open.
"Harry," Ron asked exasperatedly "You nearly scared us to death. What's the matter?"
"This is the matter ,Ron." Harry said practically shoving the letter in his face. Ron took it and read it. He looked up and had the same expression Harry had when had read it.
"Are you serious? They have ' complete faith '?"
"Exactly what I thought!" Harry commented.
"What exactly are you talking about," Padma asked she still hadn't read the note. But as soon as Ron gave her the letter she completely understood.
"Rubbish!" she practically shouted.
"Exactly," Ron and Harry said simultaneously.
"That's it," Harry said "I'm going and getting her myself. Re-enforcements or not!"
"Now, Harry be rational. That's not really the smartest thing to do now is it?"
"Ron, I really don't give a damn right now."
With that he left the room and headed back to his. Ron got up too and put his coat on. He rather Harry have at least a companion for the journey. Harry was in his room putting his black robe on and putting his wand in the inside pocket for safe keeping. He didn't care if this was rash. Hermione loved him not Draco!
He stormed downstairs with Ron quite a few steps behind him.
"Now, Harry let's think about this," he heard Ron say off in the distance.
"Not now ,Ron!"
Harry jerked the door open and stopped dead in his tracks as he saw her and Xavier in the entrance way. Before he knew he broke out into a sprint towards her. She followed suit running as fast as she could towards him. Xavier was not only sickened by the whole scene it made him furious. His mother deserved better than some lucky jerk who just wouldn't die.
"Hermione," he said as he held her in his arms "It's really you isn't it. I'm not dreaming."
"No, no, you're not," she said pulling him closer into the hug and kissing him on the lips.
"I've missed you so," Harry said "We were waiting for back-up and we didn't get a letter till today saying that they wouldn't help. So I was coming to get you myself. Oh, I've missed you so much! "
"I know," she said holding him closer and not wanting to let go.
"Get a room," Xavier spat as he walked over to them.
"Xavier," Harry said happily "I've missed you too."
Harry went to hug but the boy stepped back.
"I'm not an idiot Potter, and I won't fall for your trickery. My father will come back for me."
That night Hermione laid in bed next to Harry. She smiled at his smiling face as he slept. Oh how she loved him, but didn't. She hated to admit it though. The only reason she stayed with Harry is because she knew Draco was wrong for her. Even if she was madly in love with her and she with him, it would never work.
'He simply wants me for Power.' she thought. 'That's not true! He does love you that's why let you come back to Harry.'
'Yes, I know, but why?' she thought. 'I mean there must be a hidden reason, he himself said he would never let me go again. And did the exact opposite!'
She sat there for a few more moments battling her thoughts before she fell asleep.
The next morning she awoke to a rustling in the bed. She lifted her head up and saw Harry head for the bathroom quickly. Curious she just sat there and waited for him to return so she could question him. She looked out the window and noticed it was going to rain. The sky was an awful but beautiful gray. It was going to rain.
Harry rushed back in with his hair combed back and glasses on and half of his clothes. She laughed at the sight of hisdisarray. He came over and kissed on the cheek quickly.
As he started to walk away she grabbed his arm. Realizing something was off she asked him what was wrong.
"Hermione, promise me you won't leave the house. Stay inside with Xavier. Go down to the cellar with Padma and hide yourselves."
She gave him a quizzical look. "What's wrong?" she asked again. He took her hand and lead her to the window. Off in the distant she saw a group of hooded people making their way up to the Estate in carriages.
She looked at him with sad and confused eyes "It can't be Harry, you don't think..."
"You'll be fine, Hermione. The rest of the Ministry is on their way" he replied unnaturally cool.
She rushed into Xavier's room and woke him up and took him downstairs to the cellar. She did not dare tell him why though, but he had an idea why.
Time flew by and before she knew it her, Padma, and Xavier had been down there for over an hour. Suddenly they felt a jolt and they flew to the floor. Padma was getting worried and was on the brink of tears.
"Don't worry Ron will be safe," Hermione reassured her with a smile. She tried to smile back but it was almost impossible.
With another large jolt and loud banging noises the women knew the intruders had gotten inside. Now Padma couldn't contain herself and burst into tears.
"Stay here," Hermione instructed as she got up and left the room. She locked the door with as many spells as she could before heading up the stairs.
She reached the top and could almost cry, it looked as if half the house was blown up. Though there were no men inside. She held her wand tightly as she waltzed outside. The sight she saw almost made her fall to her feet.
Men, from the ministry and the other side, were laying dead or wounded on the ground. She covered her mouth, as tears were threatening to fall.
"All of this over me and Xavier," she said in a whisper almost inaudible.
She looked around and saw a group of hooded men in a circle surrounding undoubtedly Harry and Ron. She ran as fast as she could to the scene. She couldn't let them die. When she reached the group of men she shouted an incantation that made half of the men fly out of the way.
She saw two men in the middle, Draco and Voldemort.
"Let them go!" she shouted angrily "I'm the one you want not them!"
"Ahh, Mrs. Malfoy," the name burned in her ear.
"That's Mrs. Potter to you!" she shouted which only angered the other man not Voldemort. Draco ripped off his mask and stared at her angrily.
"Say that again and he's dead," Malfoy said pointing his wand dangerously at Harry's chest.
She glared at him from anger and shock. Was he in that much of a rage over her.
"Don't you dare," her voice shaking.
"Or what?"
"Draco Malfoy," she paused knowing that yelling at him would only make it worse "...please don't hurt him or Ron."
"Where is Xavier," Draco demanded.
"Inside." she stated simply.
"Hermione, don't do this," Harry choked out "I'm not worth it!"
"Don't say that," she almost cried as she went over to him.
"Harry, I love you. You've always been there for me. I can't let this happen."
"Oh how touching," Draco said pushing her away from him.
"I'll make a deal you and Xavier leave with me, with no problems and I'll think about letting him live."
"Draco please, you let us go!"
"This or he dies," Draco yelled his eyes felled with hurt and rage.
"Fine," she whispered.
Draco came close to her, his lips practically kissing her ears "I love you! And this is all for you, everything you see will be yours. All you have to do is love me in return!" He whispered harshly into her ears "I know you love me too, I don't see why you make this so hard."
"I do love you," she said so low only he could hear "and I wouldn't make it so hard, if you'd fight for the right side. Because , Draco, I will never be a Death Eater. And if I ever get the chance I will kill him."
Draco looked away anger still evident in his face. "Fine then, it's settled you and Xavier are coming back with me."
"And Harry?"
"Well of course, I'm going to kill him. But just for the fun of it." Draco replied only repeating the last part to her. She was about to attacked him but before she could Zabini came up from behind her and restrained her.
"What do you say about an old fashioned duel Potter?" Draco asked as he tossed Harry his wand and pushed Ron off to the side.
Harry was weak but he still had enough strength to kill Malfoy.
"I'd love to," Harry responded before throwing the first curse. Catching Draco off guard he feel to the ground. And he stood to throw a curse at Harry but he simply blocked it.
"You always did have a problem with beating me at duels," Harry said cockily.
"Stop it!" Hermione yelled at the two of them "This won't solve anything!"
"Hermione you're not going back with him!" Harry yelled harshly at her. She flinched because he had never been so crude to her before but she knew it wasn't his fault. The whole situation was screwed up.
In no time Draco was back on the ground and Hermione didn't want to see him die. She couldn't bear to look at him " Harry this is not the right way!" she pleaded with him but he ignored her.
"Malfoy, I told you to never touch her," Harry said "but you didn't listen. You thought I couldn't handle you but you were wrong."
Harry paused for a second before shouting "Avada..."
From the distance the rest of the most unforgivable curse was shouted. Hermione looked to see who it was and nearly doubled over in shock. She looked back over to see Harry lying lifeless on the ground.
"No!" she shouted as tears came pouring down her face.
Xavier walked over to his father and helped him up. "What have you done?" was all she could say. Zabini let her go and she fell to the floor. She crawled over to Harry's body and picked his head up and placed it on top of her lap. She gently stroked his wild hair as she softly cried.
"Why? All you wanted was peace. That's all!" She started crying even harder by this point and looked up Draco. " I Hate you!" she shouted "You're just like the rest of them! Nothing but worthless scum! You mean nothing to me!" She said her eyes starring down into Draco's.
Ron too was overly saddened as he watched his best friend cry over his other best friends body. It was almost enough to make him cry too.
"Kill him, too" Draco ordered as he pointed to Ron " and find his wife, no one else needs to know about this."
"What!" Hermione shouted but before she could persuade him differently Ron fell to the floor too and others headed towards the house. She almost threw up from all her emotions but she held it in before she fainted. The last thing she knew was someone was picking her up and carrying her off.
A/N: So how was it? I know I said Thanksgiving and it's Christmas. But, HAY, if I hadn't of waited it wouldn't have been as good. Which I must say I am very satisfied with this chapter! Very sad though I must say, I really do hate killing people off but if the story calls for it. And no this is not the last chapter, there will be a few more, but just a warning not many more! Please review! And yet again sorry for the long wait. Love you all! ..And a Merry Christmas to you all!
Patricia