"Vulnera sanentur, vulnera sanentur, vulnera…"
He kept chanting and Hermione watched in awe as the blood separated from the water covering the floor and retraced its leaking path from where it had fled Malfoy's body. Her eyes were drawn to where the blood seemed to struggle and then finally draw itself out of her stockings and the edges of her skirt, still stained a light pink in places even as Malfoy's wounds stitched themselves together. Her eyes were drawn up to the man across from her when he finally stopped chanting and his gaze locked with hers.
…
CHAPTER SIX – THE TOWER
"Now what?!" Severus snapped at the headmaster, pausing with his hand on the door he had been about to throw open.
"Please, m'boy, come back for a moment."
Severus clenched his jaw and released the door one finger at a time, turning back towards Dumbledore and his office. He did not step closer though, instead crossing his arms over his chest. Dumbledore eyed him over his spectacles for a moment the sighed, clearly understanding that Severus would not be coming closer.
"Harry is the key to destroying Voldemrt."
"Yes, I know, the bloody prophecy."
"Yes. But not just that. Do you fully understand the prophecy, Severus?"
"Never been much for divination."
"Harry must die in order to succeed."
Severus only cocked an eyebrow.
"Do you know what a horcrux is, Severus?"
At first his expression did not change but then Dumbledore saw a flicker in his eyes and he unfolded his arms, standing up straighter. "Do you mean to say the boy is—"
"Quite."
"But you made me protect him!" Severus hissed.
"He needed to remain safe."
"Until the opportune moment! Until you decide!"
"Surely you have not grown fond of Mr. Potter."
Severus gave him a pained, pleading look. "No. But he's all that's left of her."
"Really? After all this time?"
Severus fixed him with a cold stare. "You ask too much. Of everyone. And now a boy will soon die for your cause."
"For the greater good—"
Severus finally strode forward, jutting his finger so hard into Dumbledore's chest that the older man stumbled back a little. "Don't you dare start on that greater good shite."
Dumbledore held his hands up to placate the furious wizard. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a scrap piece of parchment. "I must give this to you."
"I want nothing from you, old man!"
"I'm leaving the castle for the day, and I must give this spell to you. Memorize it. Learn it well."
Severus snatched the paper from his and shoved it in a pocket in his frock coat. He tossed the master one last withering glare before storming out of the headmaster's office, the doors clanging loudly against the wall. Dumbledore sighed, leaning against the desk. He was weak, and so tired. He hoped that later when Severus had calmed down, he would look at the spell.
SHSHSH
"Again, Harry, really?" Hermione groaned.
"I'm telling you, Malfoy is going to try something tonight, I just know it. Please just keep an eye out for yourselves and other." Harry said meaningfully.
Hermione appraised him for a moment then nodded. "Of course."
"Wait, where're you going to be then, mate?" Ron asked, looking up from the essay he had been trying – and failing – to write.
"Dumbledore wants me to go with him to—" Harry looked around then leaned in towards his friends and whispered, "well, for you know what."
Ron's eyes popped. Hermione's eyebrows rose but she said nothing, she thought Dumbledore was being rather irresponsible with Harry but she couldn't bemoan the knowledge Harry was gaining about Voldemort.
"Just be careful, Harry." Hermione finally said.
Harry nodded, hugged both of his friends and left the Gryffindor common room to join Dumbledore. Ron and Hermione continued to study and Hermione noticed as Ron looked at her covertly every once and a while. She thought about what Harry said. At one time she might have taken now as an opportunity to bring the topic up with Ron. But today didn't feel right. This week didn't feel right. She sighed heavily and Ron suggested they go to lunch early. Hermione gladly walked with her friend down to the Great Hall and they sat in their usual seats, pouring drinks for themselves until the food appeared. As the hall filled Hermione reached across the table to give Ron his paper back and she bumped her goblet which tipped dangerously. She whipped her hand back in time to catch it but noticed the small piece of parchment underneath that hadn't been there a moment before. She looked around, her curly hair bobbing as she whipped her head back and forth. There was no one she could have guessed left it. She waited until Ron was distracted with the food that was starting to appear before slipping the scrap out from under the goblet and looking at the note.
The astronomy tower, tonight, you'll know when.
The handwriting looked frantic and cramped this time and Hermione felt her heart racing. Maybe Harry had been right, maybe something was going on tonight.
"Hermione, you alright?" Ron asked with his spoonful of pie hovering in front of his mouth.
She only nodded, suddenly uncertain what to say. Ron shrugged and finished the spoon's path to his mouth. After lunch, Hermione raced to her rooms and looked around. She felt the need to pack. She searched around for the beaded bag her mum had given her ages ago and held it to her chest, wondering if maybe this was it, this was going to make the war more real. It took her a couple of tries to get the undetectable extension charm just right, then she began packing the essentials, giving a few items she knew she ought not pack a few longing looks. She put on her muggle clothing, shrunk the bag and stuffed it in the front pocket of her jeans, made sure she had her wand with her, and then paced.
SHSHSH
Severus ran after Draco, calling his name and trying to make him see reason, but the boy had gotten Death Eaters into Hogwarts, he had a mission from the Dark Lord. The boy would not stop to listen to his head of house. This couldn't end well. He could feel it in his bones. Draco shoved the three Death Eaters following him up the stairs towards the astronomy tower, slammed the door in Severus' face and warded it. Severus cursed under his breath and broke through the wards, starting up after them, slowing when he neared the top to listen to the voices above.
Hermione heard the commotion and ran into the prefect common room where the Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and other Gryffindor prefect were slowly gathering and whispering.
"Grab your wands!" She told them. "Something is wrong!" They did as they were told and Hermione ran out into the hall, her first thought was Ron, then Severus. Momentarily confused, she started heading towards the dungeon but stopped when she remembered the note. This must be the time it had meant. She spun on her heel and ran the opposite direction, pushing people aside as she went. The further she went, the more chaos there was and plenty of frantically exchange exclamations about Death Eaters. Hermione skidded to a stop as she watched Snape blast open the door to the astronomy tower stairs, she followed after him, disillusioning herself and placing a silencing charm on her shoes. She stopped when he stopped, noticing that above her, Harry and Snape were staring at each other in silence.
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief when Harry let him past and Hermione followed, standing just out of Harry's line of sight where she could see up to the platform above. Dumbledore looked weak and there was no doubt that he was disarmed. Malfoy had his wand on him. Suddenly all of the conversation Hermione had overheard made sense. Malfoy had been trying to kill Dumbledore all year, accidentally harming others in the process. From here she could see his knee shaking a bit and she suddenly wondered if Malfoy would have the ability to kill an unarmed old man he had known for six years. She watched anxiously as Snape stepped forward, she could see his wand gripped in his hand above her. She could see his knuckles turning white and she remembered something else. When the time comes, Severus, it must be you. Hermione clamped a hand over her mouth to keep from crying out, she felt her eyes burn as tears formed.
"Please, Severus."
It sounded like he was begging his trusted professor not to, but Hermione had the full context, she knew better. She could see Snape's face and an expression on it she had never seen before. She knew it was pain because Severus Snape didn't feel pain. She could tell no one else saw it, except maybe Dumbledore. She could see how anyone who had not been watching him for the year would not be able to distinguish between this expression from his neutral, slightly exasperated face. But there was pain there now, and it hurt her, it felt like someone was driving a wand through her ribs to joust at her heart.
"Avada kedavra." It wasn't quite a whisper, but it was quiet, full of emotion and devoid of it all at once.
The moment Dumbledore leaned back over the low wall and his first foot left the floor, Hermione began to cry, letting the silent tears fall as she watched Dumbledore fall out of sight. Snape froze, his wand still held out for a moment.
"MURDERER!"
Hermione jumped as Harry began shouting, pulling out his wand. Snape shoved at Malfoy and the rest demanding they move so they began running. The Death Eaters tossing spells towards Harry and missing. Hermione cast a tripping hex at the feet of the Death Eater just in front of Malfoy, he tripped forward, sending the other two tumbling down the stairs with him. Malfoy looked like he would hardly be standing if Snape wasn't clinging to the collar of his robes, practically carrying him down the stairs.
"HE TRUSTED YOU!"
Harry moved forward to cast a hex. Hermione knew it would hit its mark. She slid forward and bumped into Harry's leg, making the hex misfire. She disappeared down the second staircase behind Harry, there was still chaos down below but she had lost sight of Harry and Snape. She was sure if she found one she would find the other. She pushed past the throngs of people toward the large front doors. There was a commotion just above and Hermione ran towards it but someone stopped her.
"Snape and McGonagall just blew up everything in the Great Hall, don't go!"
"Where are they?" She demanded.
"Snape is running towards the forest. He's a Death Eater! And McG—"
Hermione spun around and burst out the doors. She could see in the distance Hagrid's burning hut. She began running, her legs straining to catch up. She could hear Harry and Snape having a shouting match. Harry lunged forward, spouting a slew of hexes that Snape was blocking with little effort.
"Harry don't!" She called.
"Why?! He's a KILLER. HE KILLED DUMBLEDORE!"
"I know! Harry, don't!" She called the same time Harry screamed the same curse he had used on Malfoy. Snape blocked it and blasted Harry back, swooping down upon him. Hermione couldn't hear the quiet exchange from here but she was so close now. Snape straightened and his eyes locked with hers again. This time she saw a funny flicker in his eyes which she didn't understand. Suddenly he was gone, billowing after a sing-songy Bellatrix, dragging Malfoy by the collar again. Hermione made to go after them but she couldn't allow herself to leave Harry. Cursing, she knelt by his side and watched as Snape's form disappeared into the trees. Now what?