A/N: I don't own Harry Potter

Word count:993

Warning: mentions of death

Hannah watched the world burn. At least, that's how it felt. The whole world was burning. Her world was burning. She'd managed to escape the mob by slipping beneath a fence. She had never thought it would come to this, she'd never thought they'd come after her. She wasn't anyone! She wasn't Harry Potter, she wasn't Susan Bones, she wasn't anyone.

She was just a half-blood witch who wanted to learn about plants and maybe, maybe make a move on Neville Longbottom. Instead, she was running for her life. The flames flickered, reaching the sky and filling it with smoke. She could see the Dark Mark in the sky, she knew it was over her home. She'd just lost everyone, everything. Why had they come after her? She didn't know where Harry was, even if she did, she'd never talk. She'd lie, she'd rather die than betray him. He was their only hope now that Professor Dumbledore was dead.

"Here, come on," a voice hissed, as a hand reached for hers. Hannah didn't even stop to think as she grabbed it and felt herself being pulled to her feet. They were running, running through the night.

"Dean? What are you doing here?" she asked, looking at the wizard.

"Running away with you at the moment," he answered. "I couldn't prove my blood, Hannah. Dad abandoned us so I'm as good as a muggle-born."

"How'd you know where to find me?" Hannah asked.

"I followed the Mark. Where it appears, someone needs help. I had no idea it would be you," Dean said, his face flushing slightly although Hannah couldn't tell between the flickering fires and the darkness.

"Thank you. Where are we going? We can't go back to Hogwarts."

"Actually, that's exactly where we're going. That's where it's going to happen, I can feel it. The resistance is there, I know that much. Seamus wrote me, telling me about how things are going. He's told me all about the trouble he's been getting himself into. He set the Defense classroom on fire," Dean laughed.

"On purpose?"

"No, but that's besides the point, isn't it?"

"I guess. And it really is the last place they'd look for us," Hannah said after a moment. "How are we getting there? Walking?"

"What other choice do we have? The night bus isn't running anymore, too many people in the streets, and since Stan's gone missing."

"He's in Azkaban. They say he's a Death Eater, he's not is he? He seemed nice enough last time I rode."

"I don't think he is, I think they're looking for anyone and everyone they can round up, just to prove their doing something and that the ministry isn't composed completely of His followers. There's a taboo on the name now."

"I'm not surprised. Can you drive?" Hannah asked.

"A car?"

"Yes. Can you drive? I know where we can get a car, well if they haven't destroyed or stolen it. My neighbor, Mrs. Mahoney, has a car in her garage. She's always saying I can borrow it when I learn to drive. I drive about as well as I fly on a broom, so there's no chance of me using it."

"I can drive," Dean answered. Hannah smiled, grabbing his hand and leading him down a familiar street. She led him to a nice house with a green door.

"Mrs. Mahoney?" she called, knocking. The door creaked open on its own. Hannah frowned.

"Hannah, we shouldn't go in there," Dean said softly. Hannah nodded.

"I know, but have to find out. If she's... if they... you'd want someone to check on you," she stated, stepping into the house. The whole place was trashed. The furniture was upturned, there was a spilled pot of tea. Hannah didn't scream when she saw the body.

"Is she?" she asked, as Dean approached. He bent down, picking up the woman's wrist. He nodded.

"She's gone, Hannah."

"Thank you for checking," she said, looking around. Spotting the keys hanging by the door, she grabbed them.

"Alright. We got what we came for, let's get to Hogwarts, confer with the resistance and get ready for war," she said, her voice having a hard edge to it. Dean rose to his feet.

"You alright?"

"I have to be, don't I?" Hannah asked. "I have to be alright for her, for my family. I have to be alright to fight, to survive. There'll be time for breaking down later," she added, slipping outside into the smoke filled air. Dean took the keys and started the car. Within minutes they were on their way to Hogwarts, or at least as close as they could get by car. Hannah had gone silent a few minutes into the trip.

"You were really brave back there, maybe you should have been a Gryffindor," Dean joked. Hannah nodded, staring out the window.

"Think we can win this?" she finally asked.

"The war? I have to hope we will, if we can't, then what's there to look forward to?" Dean asked.

"Hope plays a wicked game with the mind," Hannah whispered softly. "My father used to say that, how hoping builds you up and up to the point when it doesn't happen, when it fails, it's worse than before."

"We will win, Hannah, just like how I know Seamus will set something on fire. Harry, Ron and Hermione will appear in a grand display of heroism, and we will win," Dean stated. Hannah reached over and took his hand. Right now, the idea of holding onto him was like holding onto hope itself. Right now, she needed a little hope.

"We're almost as far as we can go. We can walk to Hogsmeade from there."

"Right. Dean, thank you."

"For what?"

"For giving me a little hope," Hannah answered, giving him a slight smile. "A little hope that maybe, just maybe this will work out, that we can win," she answered, looking to the sky.