FIFTY-FIVE
Friday, 1 May 1998
Hermione cried out as her head bounced off the ground one second and Draco crash landed on top of her the next. Her body bowed up as his knee found her ribs and he grunted from above her when his forehead connected with hers.
"Harry! Harry are you-"
Hermione froze.
Was…Was that Ron?
Draco's cheek pressed against hers as they panted to catch their breath. "You okay?" he asked.
She didn't trust her voice, but she nodded.
"Oi! Get off her!"
Draco flattened himself on top of her as the first spell flew right over his back. In the next instant, he was rolling off of Hermione and the pair scrambled to their feet. It took a moment for her vision to clear, but when it did, sure enough, Ronald Weasley was running over to her side. His arm was raised, wand in hand, pointing it directly at Draco.
"Ron?"
"I'll kill you, Death Eater scum!"
Hermione moved back, throwing herself between Ron and Draco. Ron skid to a halt and stared at her with wide eyes. "Mione, what-"
"Ron? Hermione?"
They both looked behind Ron to where Harry was slumped against a partially destroyed wall. She felt Draco begin to move and whirled around to grab his wrist, her eyes wide in fear. "No, don't-"
"Don't do anything stupid, Granger," he said, detaching himself from her hold and taking off down the crumbling corridor.
Hermione watched until he was out of sight before turning back to find Ron staring at her with a scowl on his face. She said nothing as she took off and ran for Harry. "Nagini," he said, looking up at them. "She's the last one. We kill her and then I can take out Voldemort."
Hermione knelt before Harry, partially because her legs were already threatening to give out. "Use the connection, Harry. Find out where he is and we'll all go. Together." She reached out and laid one hand over his, squeezing to show support, while her other hand lifted to seek one of Ron's. She allowed herself a second to be overjoyed at seeing them again; to feel triumph that she had found a way back to them. But once that moment was over, she forced the emotions aside. She could sort everything out later.
"The boathouse," Harry said after a moment, letting go of her hand to push himself to his feet. "They were there with Lucius Malfoy. He was sent to bring Snape to Voldemort."
"Let's go," Ron said, reaching for Hermione's other hand to help her to her feet.
Unable to resist, she flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around him so tight he began to choke from her hold. Tears slid down her face as he returned her hold. He lost his balance when she withdrew quickly only to do the same to Harry. "You okay, Hermione?" Harry asked as she pulled away, wiping at her eyes.
"I don't ever want to fly a broom again," she said.
The two of them cracked a grin at her and then they were off.
It was frightening, how Hermione was able to switch her brain back to survival mode. As she ran beside Harry and Ron, firing spell after spell at Death Eater's and all other assortments of Voldemort supporters, it was easy to forget that she had just spent four months living in the past. There was only brief moment where her thoughts jarred as she realized she had left behind an enraged Tom Riddle.
It was that momentary hesitation that allowed the Death Eater to land their spell. She was able to mostly jump out of the way, but the red light hit her left foot and sent her staggering to the ground. A strangled cry left her throat as she went down, but she barely had time to process the Death Eater's closing in as she heard someone shout, "Bombarda Maxima!" at the top of their lungs. An explosion went off near her, but with the injury to her foot, she wasn't able to move completely out of the way.
She ducked her head and threw her arms up, but right as the stones should have hit, she felt nothing. She heard them crashing to the ground, could feel them hit the floor around her. She did a double-take when she looked up to see Draco standing in front of her. His shield charm was surrounding them both in a blue-white shimmering bubble. The stone turned to dust as it hit and blew away in the wind.
"Thank you," she breathed as he released the spell and turned to face her.
A scream rent the air and they both looked up to see Ginny get struck with a spell and was sent flying backwards. Hermione's lips parted in awe as he didn't even hesitate to cast a cushioning charm to keep Ginny from smashing into the wall. "Go," she hissed, shooing him off, but he was already running towards her friend, firing curse after curse at the oncoming Death Eaters.
Hermione turned her wand to her foot. Epiksky. After a moment of feeling the flesh knit back together, she was on her feet, hurrying towards the pair. She fell in step with Draco, the two of them moving in tandem to clear the area. When it was safe, she helped Ginny up. Despite the softer landing, there was still a large gash on her temple and she could see she was having trouble focusing.
"Go find Potter," Draco said. "I've got Weaselette."
Ginny's lids fluttered as she threw a questioning glance at Hermione before reaching behind her to support herself on the wall. Hermione gave a curt nod and received one in return before Ginny let Draco take hold of her arm and lead her through the battle. When they were out of sight, Hermione scanned the crowd for Harry and Ron, but they were nowhere in sight.
Wherever they were, she hoped that they had just gone on without her. That they hadn't wasted time in waiting for her to join back up with them. Every second counted and she knew Voldemort wouldn't stay in the boathouse for long. She swallowed hard as she hoped that it wasn't the last time she saw them either. Not when she had just found her way back to them.
Pushing that fear aside, she squared her shoulders and threw herself into the fight once more.
It wouldn't matter how many holes had been blasted into the side of the castle, Draco would never be able to rid the stench of smoke, blood, and burning flesh from his nostrils. He had gotten Ginny to a corner where he could do a patch job on her wound; just enough so she wouldn't bleed out. After that, a werewolf had launched himself at them and in the fight, they had gotten separated.
Draco pushed on, trying his best not to fling anything more than a Stupefy at members of the Order. He wasn't interested in maintaining his Death Eater status, but he sure as hell didn't want to get killed either. If someone threw a spell at him, he sent one back. Simple.
As the battle continued, Draco found it harder to keep going. His core was burning out and his body was exhausted. He had been hit with one too many spells, physical blows, and debris to keep going at the rate he was. Whenever he could, he would duck into a corner or anything with a door and catch his breath. Each time he closed his eyes, he saw Hermione about to be crushed. As much as he loathed her for what she had done, he didn't want to see her dead.
And just as he stepped out of a corridor to continue fighting, if not for at least to get away from the battle, he came face-to-face with his aunt. He froze as she cackled with glee at the sight of him. Her smile turned into a frown rather quickly when she saw his arm stretched out, wand trained on her.
She raised her own wand at him, hers completely steady in comparison to his. "You dare raise your wand on me? Your blood?" She clucked her teeth at him. "It's the Malfoy in you. Nothing but cowards in that line," she said, spitting on the ground in distaste. "Lower your wand, Draco. Lower it now and I'll forgive you," she said, stepping towards him.
"No."
All he could see was his aunt above Hermione; her screams echoing in the space between his ears. "Have it your way then. Your mother should have married better." As the tip of her wand began to glow green, she stopped and looked up.
Draco did the same as Voldemort's voice rang out through the castle. He couldn't tell if it was in his head or if he was using some sort of boosting charm, but either way, it caused a splitting headache. Draco lifted his hands to his ears. When he pulled his fingers back, they were wet with blood.
"I am disappointed in you, Harry Potter. Instead of coming to face me directly, you have allowed innocent people to die on your behalf. There has been enough magical blood spilled this night. I will give you a chance to make it right. Regroup. Tend to your wounded. Dispose of your dead with dignity. To my devoted followers, retreat. To Harry Potter, if you do not come to me by midnight in the Forbidden Forrest, I will kill every man, woman, and child who stands in my way to you."
When Voldemort finished speaking, his aunt gave him one last scowl before disappearing in a puff of black smoke.
Hermione pitched forward, crying out in pain as a sharp piece of stone bit into her palm. Voldemort's voice had barely subsided before she felt that familiar warmth of Riddle's presence trying to work its way into her mind. She resisted for all of two seconds before he forced his way inside. He was stronger than he had been before; her walls practically crumbled immediately.
I will find you. Once I have killed Harry Potter, I will find you and I will make you beg for death.
He'll never go to you, she said, her hands curling against the floor.
He will. You taught me that. He would do whatever it takes to protect those he cares for. Until we meet again, Hermione.
When he withdrew, Hermione's body relaxed and she retched.
With nothing left in her stomach to expel, Hermione rolled onto her back, not caring how close she lay to her own sick. She stared at the ceiling as she took in the eerie calm as the sound of battle disappeared from the moment of peace Voldemort had ordered. She waited for the world to orient itself; for everything to make sense.
"Hermione?"
She blinked a few times before she registered that the ceiling had been replaced with the sight of Neville. She heard other voices and then felt someone lift her into a sitting position. Someone shook her shoulders and lightly pat at her cheeks. It wasn't until someone poured a vial of something down her throat that the shock disappeared like a punch to the gut and she gasped back to reality.
It took her a moment to realize that she was in the Great Hall. That the people laying down in the center of the room weren't moving. Neville was there again, blocking her view, shaking her shoulders. "Hermione?"
"Out of the way, Longbottom."
Neville was soon replaced with McGonagall, a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Miss Granger, if you're not gravely injured, I could use your help tending the wounded."
Hermione shook herself out of her daze and nodded, getting to her feet. There would be time to process the fact that Remus and Tonks were lying side-by-side before her. That the all the Weasley's, save for Ron, were standing over a body on the ground, sobbing loudly. She couldn't see who it was, but she looked away.
"Start over there," McGonagall said, pointing to the left, opposite Madam Pomfrey.
She went down the line of people, assessing wounds ranging from the smallest of cuts to near deadly gashes that she could only slow down a little. Potions were limited and nearly gone so she had to dole them out sparingly. She refused to even try using the Grey magic. She couldn't risk exhausting her core any further.
She felt it when Harry and Ron returned. It seemed as though all eyes had turned to them, hers included. She watched as Ron ran to his family and he heard him screaming Fred's name. She finished healing a cut before getting to her feet and going to Harry. He stared down at the last Marauder who's hand was still reaching for his wife's even in death.
She wrapped her arms around Harry and he leaned on her for support. When he started to pull out of her grasp, she clutched at his shirt. "No, Harry, you can't-"
"Hermione, I have to do something," he said, detaching himself and then nodding towards the Weasley's. "He needs you."
She could only nod at him and waited until he walked back out of the Great Hall before moving towards the Weasley's. She stared down at Fred's body with vision blurred with tears. Ginny clung to her, hot tears spilling onto Hermione's shoulder. When Ginny stepped away from her to go to her mother's side, Hermione looked up and did a double-take at the sight of Draco.
He was standing in the corner on the far side of the room, clutching his side. He was far paler than usual and she could see the pain on his face. Panic surged through her and propelled her forward. She reached him just as he collapsed and then knelt in front of him. With shaky hands, she lifted his shirt and whined at the wound on his abdomen.
"Draco-"
"I'm fine. Go fix someone else."
"You'll die!"
His snort was half grunt as he tried to adjust himself into a more comfortable position. "No one in here would care."
"I would."
Draco's gaze clashed with hers for a brief second before he turned away and exhaled a shaky breath. "Fine. If it'll get you out of my sight faster, patch me up, Granger."
She ignored the bitter tone and the way the guilt twisted at her heart. He coughed into his hand and then hissed as she placed her right hand directly over the wound. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, forcing everything to the background so she could concentrate.
"What are you-"
"Shut up," she demanded, waving her other hand at him to cut him off. She squeezed her eyes shut even tighter and when she found the Grey magic within, she pulled it to the surface and sent it to her hand. Once it was there, she pushed it forward. She felt it trickle from her with a slight hum beneath her fingers. Slowly, Draco's blood began to stop flowing freely and the damage began to knit itself back together.
When she pulled her hand back, she opened her eyes and smiled at him. He was staring at her in awe and horror. "What did- Hermione!" he shouted.
The room spun when he began to speak and where there had been one Draco, more had appeared; too many to count, and she felt herself sinking backwards. As he shouted her name, he reached out and caught her before she hit the ground. He pulled her into his lap as best he could and leaned over her. She could feel his fingers on her cheek and hear the anguish in his voice as he spoke. "What did you do? Granger? Hermione, come on. Wake up!" he demanded in frantic whispers.
"What did you do to her, Malfoy?"
Ron's shout was just as distant as it was close. She took a deep breath and whimpered as she felt herself being lifted. She opened her eyes and focused on Ron's face as he held her against his chest. She was surprised to find that her feet were on the ground and supporting her. Or was it his arm around her back that was keeping her up?
"I didn't do anything, Weasley!" Draco snarled.
She turned her head and saw him stand from the corner of her eye. "Ron, I helped him."
"You're done helping him," he said, tugging her away. "Sod off, Malfoy."
Hermione was able to get one good look at Draco before people passed in front of her and she lost sight of him. When she stopped moving, she found herself surrounded by the Weasley's. They hugged her and gave her water and something to eat. She forced herself to look at Fred, but found herself all cried out. She promised to cry for him later.
When the sobs subdued, Ron was made the suggestion of getting some air. She nodded and followed him on weakly through the Great Hall. She briefly spotted Draco wrapping a First or Second Year's hand in a bandage and her heart skipped a beat. She didn't dwell on it for too long as she soon found herself sitting on the destroyed steps of the main staircase, her head on Ron's shoulder.
"Why did you help that git, Mione?'
"He's not the enemy, Ron," she replied.
"Not the enemy?" he asked, his voice full of anger. "He's a fucking Death Eater? How does not make him an enemy?"
She sighed, too tired and worn out to argue. She lifted her head and stared at him. "Do you trust me?"
"Of course, but-"
"No buts, Ron."
He huffed and his shoulder's jerked noncommittally.
"He might not be fully reformed, but he's not one of them. Not anymore."
"Hermione-"
"Let it be, Ron!" she hissed, getting to her feet. "If you trust me, that should be enough! I shouldn't have to explain every little detail-" She stopped short at the sight of Harry coming towards them from a corridor. She ran to him, throwing her arms around him yet again. "I thought you left," she sobbed.
"Not yet," he said, holding her back. "But I'm going there now."
She tightened her hold and her resolve broke. "Harry, you can't- Please."
"I have to, Hermione," he said, shrugging out of her grasp. "Snape gave me his memories before he died. Dumbledore knew it would come to this. He used Snape's death to give me one final message."
"What did he say?" Ron asked, coming to stand beside Hermione.
Harry gave Hermione a look that confirmed her worst fears and had her sobbing anew. She had suspected for a long time that Harry was a Horcrux; one that Voldemort never meant to make. She continued to cry as he relayed the message to her and Ron; telling them to kill the snake. That once she was out of the way, it really didn't matter who killed Voldemort.
"You're sure Nagini's the last Horcrux?" Ron asked.
Hermione's hand came up to touch the sapphire at her throat. It was her Horcrux, technically. But it did contain a piece of Riddle's soul. Indecision on whether or not she should say something weighed down on her, adding to her guilt. If she destroyed it, she would be destroying a piece of herself. She didn't even know if it really was a Horcrux since it had been made of Grey magic instead of Dark.
Hermione closed her eyes and pressed her lips into a thin line. Not for the first time that night, she wondered if she had made the right choice by keeping her silence. She and Ron stood side-by-side as they watched Harry descend the stairs and take his leave of the castle without a backwards glance at either of them. The moment he was out of sight, Hermione knew she would regret her decision.
Saturday, 2 May 1998
Minutes trickled into hours and somehow in the dead of the night, Hermione had fallen asleep. The sun's early morning rays peaking through the missing chunks of the castle walls woke her by nearly blinding her. It took her several minutes to realize that she wasn't in the Room of Requirement curled up to Draco. She wasn't even on the Astronomy Tower with Riddle. No, she was stretched out on the floor of the Great Hall sandwiched between Ron and Ginny.
She sat up quickly and took a deep breath to combat the vertigo. When she opened her eyes and looked around, images of the battle from the night before replayed in her mind, catching her back up to speed. Needing a moment, she got up and slipped out of the Hall in search of somewhere to relieve the sting in her bladder. Luckily, the bathroom nearby still had a few stalls intact.
When she emerged, Draco was standing outside, resting against the opposite wall. "How's your wound?" she asked, moving closer to him.
"It's fine."
She gave a little nod. "Are you-"
"What deal was Riddle talking about, Hermione?"
She froze, her lips still parted with the rest of the sentence he cut her off from. "It doesn't matter now."
"You were going to Obliviate me!"
"No I wasn't!" she snapped. "I would never do that!" She took a step forward, hands balled into fists at her side. "And if I was, I recall that you were more than happy to be rid of any memory of me."
"Can you blame me? Why would I want to remember anything about you? So I can spend my time wondering if every time you kissed me, you were thinking of him?" He took a step forward too, pushing his face right into hers. "How many times did you sleep with him right before you crawled into my bed?"
She winced and cast her eyes down, stepping away from him.
"And all this time I thought it was your blood that made you dirty," he snapped. He turned on his heel to storm out just as Ron was coming out of the Great Hall. Draco stopped and snorted at her friend. "I wouldn't believe a word that comes out of her mouth, Weaselbee. She's spent far too much time charming snakes recently." He shouldered Ron as he passed, leaving him to gape at her in confusion.
"The two of you were out of our sight for less than a minute, Mione. What the hell happened?"
"Nothing, Ron. Leave it alone," she begged.
But as she began to move, she found herself stopping at the sound of Neville's voice calling everyone into the courtyard. Her heart leapt into her throat as she saw a massive group walking towards them on the bridge. Ron grabbed her hand and pulled her along the way, stopping near Neville. Slowly, everyone that could move trickled out to join them as Voldemort and the remainder of his followers came to face them in the courtyard.
"Who's that Hagrid's carrying?" Ginny asked. "Neville, who-"
"It's Harry," Neville whispered.
"NO!"
Ginny surged forward, but her father caught her around the waist and kept her from certain death. Hermione felt the ground start to disappear beneath her feet, but Ron looped an arm around her to support her.
"Harry Potter is dead!"
Voldemort's voice cut through her like a knife. He looked and sounded nothing like the Riddle she had come to know over the last four months, but when his gaze landed on her, there was a certain familiarity that turned her blood to ice as her body went rigid with fear.
I told you this is how it would play out. It would seem you put your faith in the wrong leader.
Hermione clutched at Ron in effort to stay upright as Riddle's voice sounded in her head.
"Now would be the time for all of those who do not wish to die a painful death to speak up. Step forward. Swear your allegiance to me and I will spare your life. Everyone has a place in my world," he said, his eyes landing on Hermione.
Hermione felt his presence slip into her mind and tug. Had it not been for Ron's arms around her, she would have fallen to her knees or taken a step forward. "No," she breathed.
You swore an oath to surrender. His voice was loud in her mind. Echoing off the walls of her mental library. The time is here. Books rattled on their shelves and her knees buckled. Anything I wanted, remember?
"Draco."
Hermione sagged in Ron's arms and he nearly dropped her as Lucius' voice sounded through the otherwise silent air. He raised his hand towards the crowd and beckoned his son forward. "Draco," Narcissa echoed.
Hermione turned as best she could to her left and spotted Draco next to Luna. His eyes skimmed the crowd and connected with hers. After a moment, he looked away and stepped forward.
Draco heard a few gasps and muted whispers as he moved towards his parents. Regardless of his distaste for being under Riddle's regime, they were still his parents. He went for his mother. His father had burned one too many bridges for him to care. And he had seen the way Hermine had nearly bowed when Voldemort asked for people to switch sides.
With each step he felt the knots in his stomach tighten. He had intended to skirt around the Dark Lord, but he stepped into his path and put his arms about his shoulder. "Well done, Draco," he said for the masses to hear. Then he leaned in then so that his next words were just between them. "I told you she would be mine someday."
Draco flinched back in surprise, but the Dark Lord had already stepped off to the side, allowing him to finally rejoin his parents. His father touched his shoulder and his mother wrapped her arms about him. "I love you, Draco," she whispered into his hair over and over again.
He heard it in Hermione's voice and it kept him from saying it back to her.
The Dark Lord laughed and he turned to see that Longbottom had stepped forward. A few other Death Eaters had joined in with their own chuckles. "I should say, I had hoped for better," Voldemort said. "But I suppose you will do. You are?"
"Neville Longbottom."
More laughter. "Your parents must be proud to know that you would turn over to me when they are-"
"I don't want to join you," Longbottom said. He turned back to the others. "We don't need Harry to win this. He put up a good fight. We shouldn't let his death be in vain."
He continued his speech; the little rally of the troops for one last hurrah, but Draco tuned him out as a bit of movement caught his eye. It was small, but it was there. He was sure of it. He narrowed his eyes and then stilled as he saw Potter looking back at him. It wasn't the cold, blank stare of lifeless eyes.
Harry Potter was alive.
Everything happened in slow motion. Longbottom gave a battle cry as he pulled a sword from the Sorting Hat in his hands at the same time Potter rolled out of Hagrid's arms. In the span of heartbeat, Draco made up his mind and snatched his wand out of his robes before he tore himself away from his parents. "Potter!" he shouted and tossed his wand.
Potter caught it and chaos erupted as he fired a spell at Nagini. He ran, weaving around places to prevent Voldemort's curses from landing as he fired them one after the other at Potter. Draco ran back towards the castle, catching Hermione as she stumbled from catching her foot on toppled stone.
"Here, take this," she said, handing him her wand.
"I-"
"I don't need it," she rushed on, gripping onto him as he pulled her up onto her feet.
"Whatever it was, don't do it," he said, clearly catching her off guard.
"I have to," she whispered, knowing full well what he was referring to. "You don't understand-"
He stopped, turning himself to look her straight in the eye. "Whatever it was he offered you, it isn't worth it, Hermione."
Her lips parted to argue, but a spell landed between the two of them, causing them to separate and Draco picked himself up and hurled himself back into the fray with Hermione's wand in hand.
While the fight between Harry and Voldemort continued outside in the courtyard, some of the battle moved back into the castle. Hermione finally caught up to Ron and they quickly formulated a plan to use their last remaining Basilisk fang to take out Nagini. Their secondary plan should something happen was to get the sword from Neville and borrow it just for that.
Hermione threw rocks as Ron cast spell after spell to get the snake's attention. She was glad that Voldemort was too preoccupied with Harry to notice. Once Nagini took to their bait, she slithered towards them. Hermione used herself as a distraction, throwing up a shield charm that barely rose in time while Ron tried to strike from the back, but Nagini was too quick.
She was far too weak to use her Grey magic for much and she had given her wand to Draco since he had given his to Harry. As she collided with Ron while Nagini continued to lunge at them, she thought that she was glad everyone had seen Draco do it. That way, no matter what the outcome, no one would question where his loyalty lie, even if he refused to pick a side himself.
Ron held her tight as they stumbled and landed on a pile of debris. She curled into him thinking it was over for them, but just before Nagini could sink her fangs into them, a clang sounded and Hermione opened her eyes to see Neville cleave Nagini's head from her body with the Sword of Gryffindor. The pieces of the snake fell to the ground, shriveled, and disappeared.
A horrid scream she recognized as Riddle's tore through the air, making everyone flinch. She and Ron got to their feet with Neville's help and looked over to see Harry and Voldemort both staring at one another, panting with exertion. She held her breath for a second and then found herself running towards them just as they fired a spell at one another at the same time.
Green light met red in an arch between them.
For just a moment, Voldemort's eyes widened with a flash of fear at being outdone by the likes of Harry Potter. Hermione felt a pull at her necklace and it tripped her, sending her sprawling to her knees. She knew the moment Riddle felt the surge of power from his soul housed around her neck. Hermione screamed as she tried to push with all of her might to wrap Harry in her magic, but it was too late.
Green overpowered red in the blink of an eye.
Harry's wand clattered to the ground a moment before his body, his green eyes dull as his life ended.
Complete silence washed over the courtyard for what felt like hours before Voldemort's dark laughter took over. Hermione crawled the distance to Harry, ignoring the way the sharp debris cut into her skin as she went. She placed her hands on his chest, but no matter how hard she tried, her magic refused to obey.
"I have waited fifty-three years for this moment," she heard Voldemort hiss a moment before she felt herself being lifted. It was his magic that kept her hovering an inch above the ground, drawing her over the space of the courtyard until he set her down before him. He grasped her chin and smiled coldly, his eyes red and slit like a snake. There was nothing left of the Riddle she had come to know.
He let go of her chin and held his hand out for her. Despite the damage done to his body from so much Dark magic since she had seen him last, she could still see the cut on his palm from where she had sliced him open. Where she had placed her matching wound to mix their blood together.
"The time has truly come now. You are too weak to save him." He raised his hand higher, impatience clear on his face. "Maybe one day I can forgive you for abandoning me, but if you do not honor your end of the bargain and surrender now, I never will."
Hermione's head jerked in response before she slowly lifted her trembling hand and placed it in his.
He grinned then and looked up to those still stunned to silence. "Harry Potter is truly dead now!" he shouted. "And his Mudblood has agreed to join me! This is your last chance. Those of you that would-"
"No! You get your hands off of her!" Ron shouted as he came barreling down the courtyard to them, wand raised and at the ready. "I won't let you take her. Avada Kedavra!"
It was meant for Voldemort. Everyone with eyes knew that.
But to save himself, he pulled Hermione into the path of the killing curse. Her Grey magic roared to life as her will to live kicked into overdrive when confronted with certain death. The spell bounced off of her shield and landed on the first thing it came in contact with.
Ron.
When Hermione realized what happened, the world seemed to stop. The ground rose up to meet her. Her sobs stuck in her throat as she watched through blurred vision as Ron's lifeless body slumped to the ground, his lips still parted in surprise to see his own spell coming back to hit him. To see that it was his best friend; someone he loved, that had sent it back.
Harry Potter.
Dead.
Her fault.
She had kept the fact that Voldemort had one last Horcrux from him. That there was still one piece of his soul left for him to draw power from. That it was wrapped around her neck and mixed with a piece of her own soul.
Ronald Weasley.
Dead.
Her fault.
Because she had been too selfish to let herself die. She deserved to be dead. She shouldn't have protected herself. By doing so she had killed him.
She closed her eyes and cried out for both of them, begging for them to forgive her and hoping they heard her in the afterlife. She continued until her voice gave out, until her body refused to obey any command. Hermione barely registered that Voldemort had given one last order. To kill them all. The sound of the battle resuming was distant as she felt herself being lifted from the ground once more.
She opened her eyes as best she could to see that Voldemort was carrying her away from the courtyard. The battle waged on in the background, but all she could see was the lifeless bodies of Harry and Ron, their eyes open and staring at her with betrayal.
"I told you that I would kill Harry Potter," Voldemort said, his voice a dangerous purr. "Just as I said I would make you kill Ronald Weasley." He hummed in approval. "It would seem you are already off to a good start on getting me to forgive you. Let us see what else you can do."
The last thing she saw were Harry and Ron still staring back at her as Voldemort Apparated them away with a loud crack.
A/N: Some of the dialogue was directly stolen from the movies. I couldn't have done this without my amazing Alpha: honeysweetcutie
The sequel to this is Uncharted.
Thank you to all who puts this on their favorite/follow list and all who read/reviewed. Every notification I get brightens my day more and more!