Chapter beginning notes: So for the first time, I posted something I wasn't entirely happy with. After reading through some insightful comments on chapter 79, I figured out what was wrong and how to fix it. THANK YOU READERS YOU ARE SO LOVELY!
It's only the latter half of chapter 79 which is changed - the Draco/Hermione scene. If you want to re-read, it won't take you long. It's probably not necessary, but I'm happy with it now. :)
Chapter 80
"Bring forth the prisoners!"
Like shards of glass, Voldemort's voice cut through the air. Underneath the grand arch of the Hogwarts entrance, Hermione watched him from across the courtyard, flanked by his supporters and the giant stone statures on either side. Despite the distance between the Order and Voldemort's army, the tenor of his voice made her blood run cold, and she shivered. Gripping her wand tighter, the crowd of Order members shifted in front of the large castle entry way, parting so the captured Death Eaters could exit Hogwarts. Voldemort's Army lay in wait across the courtyard, having arrived on foot by crossing the stone bridge. With the exception of height and girth differences, they all looked like Grim Reapers.
One by one, the prisoners appeared in full Death Eater regalia. She watched as they took in the rag-tag bunch of Order members and the sea of black cloaks.
Dementors circled above. Hermione's teeth chattered and despite knowing what was going to happen next, she worried they'd be wiped out. Harry was sacrificing himself and what next? Ron could die, Draco could die, the Order was outnumbered three to one by the Death Eaters alone and there were upwards of fifty Dementors swirling above them.
The courtyard felt like a graveyard, waiting for their corpses.
She had to remind herself that this was exactly what Tonks wanted. Snape was hidden amongst the Death Eaters; Voldemort thought Hogwarts was under his control. They were waiting.
"What's going on?" she heard one of the prisoners ask warily.
"If I didn't know better," another prisoner replied, "I'd say everyone's ready to fight."
"They'll lose," a third growled.
Their voices trailed off as the group of prisoners ambled over to rejoin Voldemort. Some of them gazed in her general direction, trying to get a glimpse of the legendary Harry Potter. A tall one looked directly at her as he passed through. Her heart skipped a beat and she stared at the ground, not wanting to give Draco away.
Hermione and Ron stood on either side Harry, each holding one of his hands. She squeezed Harry's hand as tears formed in her eyes.
This was it.
Hermione watched as the wandless prisoners ambled over to join the ranks and surveyed the intimidating mass of black cloaks standing at the other end of the courtyard. She and Draco were standing on opposite sides now, but they were fighting together.
Finally.
As she brought her gaze towards Voldemort, her eyes landed on Bellatrix, the only one without a mask. The older witch's dark stare met Hermione's, and Bellatrix licked her lips in anticipation and smiled.
Images of eyes and teeth reflecting the dim light cast from a knife blade returned to her and she squeezed Harry's hand, drawing strength from the presence of her friends. No longer tied down and wandless, and most importantly – not alone – Hermione sneered through her tears, and glared right back at her.
"Now you must bring ours, Tom!" McGonagall's voice was amplified across the courtyard.
Tonks relayed earlier in the morning during a pre-battle rally that the prisoners had been executed, and then turned everyone's grief into a desire for revenge. But they had to keep up the ruse of not knowing.
Voldemort's loud, terrible hiss echoed everywhere. "I am very sorry, Minerva. But we do not have your prisoners today." He walked slowly back and forth in front of his army. "Your Order is finished. Join our new regime. Help rebuild the Wizarding world, as it was always meant to be."
Hermione looked up at Harry and saw him swallow. He glanced down at her out of the corner of his eye and gave a curt nod. The Trio stepped forward a few paces, defiant and holding hands. A low rumble from Voldemort's army increased in volume as they watched Harry present himself. Voldemort turned to them, fixing his red gaze on her best friend. Voldemort studied his nemesis, and a tremor of fear vibrated down Hermione's spine even though his sinister appraisal wasn't directed at her. She felt weightless, with only Harry's hand to ground her.
"Come forward Harry Potter," he cajoled, his voice an unsettling caress. "I promise no magical blood will be spilled today if you give yourself up now. Your friends will surrender and live," he extended his palm out to the Order. "I will reunite them with their loved ones to rebuild our world."
Hermione gazed up into Harry's emerald eyes. "I love you," she whispered. "If I could, I'd go in your place."
"I know," he replied with a smile. "His magic is weak and unstable; I can feel it. It'll work."
Ron pulled Harry into a tight hug, pressed his fist into his upper back and then heaved a sob, having also just begun to process the death of his brothers. Ron released him and, after squaring his shoulders, Harry turned to face Voldemort. He walked forward and Hermione let his fingers slip out of her grasp with a whimper.
Everyone was silent as Harry approached the middle ground of the courtyard. Good behind him, evil in front. The Dementors swirled above and Voldemort stepped forward with a grin.
"The Boy Who Lived has come to die," Voldemort taunted softly.
Bellatrix's cackle echoed of the stones, followed by the confident chuckling of his army as the Dementors floated lower.
"Yes," Harry called out, raising his chin. "I'm ready."
Hermione grabbed Ron's hand and he squeezed hers back. She didn't know if she could watch, and silent tears trailed down her cheek.
"No one is shielding you then?" Voldemort hissed. "No more hiding behind anyone?"
Impervious to Voldemort's jeering, Harry calmly replied, "It was never about that, Tom."
Hermione sucked in a sob. "Ron!" her voice trembled, and he wrapped his arm around her, cradling her into his chest.
A wind blasted through the courtyard, ruffling Harry's black hair.
Memories of Harry flashed in front of her eyes. Laughing with him over meals in the Great Hall, triumphant after catching the snitch during his first game, watching him lecture Dumbledore's Army with a mixture of humble determination, and waiting for Ron in the infirmary, ensuring her he'd be there when the time came to return her parents' memories.
She treasured every memory of him. But if Hermione survived this battle, she would never forget seeing Harry like this. He holstered his wand, spread his arms wide and looked up to the sky offering himself up as a sacrifice.
Voldemort raised his wand and cried out, "Avada Kedavra!"
For a brief moment Hermione hoped it wouldn't work. Draco and Harry both said his magic was weak. But the flash of green light shot out, hit Harry in the chest and he collapsed to the ground.
Lifeless. Gone.
Hermione knew what had to happen but she wasn't prepared; it was too soon. She couldn't comprehend his death, and stared at his corpse, not willing to believe the evidence in front of her. Others begin to cry, and her legs felt weak. She wasn't ready, and clung to Ron as she swayed off balance.
"Hermione," Ron choked out, pulling her from her sorrow, "Look!"
She cast her gaze across the courtyard to where he was pointing and gasped. Voldemort lay motionless on the ground.
What did that mean?
"NOW!"
oooooooooooooo
He couldn't believe it. Potter was dead, and Aunt Bella was crouched over the Dark Lord's body. Before he could process what just happened, Draco's incredulous stare was torn from the two bodies on the ground by his cousin's scream bursting through the silence.
He saw Hermione's surprised face, streaked with tears, and felt a surge of adrenaline as he prepared to battle his way over to her.
Tightening the grip on his wand, he thought of the grit in his aristocratic mother's voice when she put complete faith in him, and said she would fight by his side. Then he recalled the fire in Hermione's eyes as she recounted how he'd taken back control over his life this morning, and the tremble in her voice when she said she loved him.
This was it, he wouldn't have to wear a mask ever again. His skin prickled with energy as he wrenched his mask off, tossed it to the ground and stomped on it with his boot. Two Death Eaters next to him turned in surprise. He grinned in satisfaction as the thin metal shattered and the pieces crunched under his sole with a twist of his foot.
He was free, and they were going to win.
In one furious motion, he ripped off his robes, and thrust his wand into the air. With a loud battle cry echoing clear across the courtyard, he called out in pure elation, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
The Dark Lord's army faced him in surprise, already confused from the Dark Lord collapsing. Draco's silvery fox burst forth from his wand and streamed, glittery magic crackling through the air to chase off several Dementors encroaching on the Order. Out of the corner of his eye to his right, he saw Severus throw off his robes as a shimmering doe charged forward to join his fox. Cries of 'Expecto Patronum!' resonated across the courtyard and Hermione's otter shot into the air among an army of silvery animals.
Not waiting to see the fallout, he threw himself to the ground with the other defectors, while the rest of Voldemort's Army stared in confused awe at the vibrant light display of the Patronus attack.
Covering his head with his hands, he glanced back to see his mother and father behind him, already casting Shield charms to cover the three of them just as a series of explosions rocked the courtyard.
Pressing his forehead against the cold stones, Draco dug his fingers into his skull as the ground quaked from the destruction of the very bridge the Dark Lord and his army had arrived upon. Gasps of astonishment turned to screams of pain as stone and mortar pummeled the unsuspecting members of the Dark Lord's army. At the same time, the cold wave of despair completely evaporated, signaling that the last of Dementors had been destroyed or chased away.
Draco flinched as a large boulder torpedoed directly towards his head only to bounce off his shield and careen out, exploding to smithereens as it hit the ground. Gritting his teeth while debris rained down around him, he saw someone had seen fit to protect Potter's corpse, and watched as several stones flew away, repelled by his dead body. Part of an archway bounced off his mother's charm, taking out two Death Eaters standing above Draco in a sickening squelch of bones and flesh.
The last of the major stones and parts of the bridge pummeled the ground, bursting on impact. As the remainders of the bridge lay strewn across the pockmarked courtyard, Draco peeked through the settling dust to see a few dozen bloodied and broken Death Eaters lying dead or injured on the ground.
McGonagall's voice projected over the haze of bombs' aftermath. "Retreat!"
The thirty defectors removed their Death Eater uniforms, and scrambled to their feet in a mad dash to fight their way to the castle with the Order. He saw McGonagall herding them all in while Severus directed the knights and stone gargoyles to attack, protecting his former students clamoring for safety.
"Kill the blood traitors! Kill them now!" He heard Avery's command ring out among the chaos. "For the Dark Lord!"
Just as the Death Eaters started to get their bearings, the Hogwarts professors aligned with the Order appeared on the balconies, windows and turrets overlooking the courtyard and opened fire. With no place to take cover, it was like shooting fish in a barrel as they picked off Death Eaters one by one.
Voldemort's army couldn't Apparate away and the bridge was destroyed, so there was no place to turn. They were leaderless, had no direction, and the entrance to the castle was blocked to them. At this rate, they soon wouldn't even have a numerical advantage either.
It was absolute mayhem in the courtyard.
Bright flashes of light collided into the ground, causing it to rumble under his feet and struck down Death Eaters when hitting their mark. Draco met his mother's frantic eyes just as a black cloaked body crashed into him, nearly knocking him over. A dark red curse shot out from his father's wand, felling the unknown Death Eater but more surged forward. The Dark Lord's army was struggling to escape the fire from above, and attack the Order as they retreated into the castle.
It was too cramped for wands and the fight quickly turned physical in the haze and confusion.
"Run!" he yelled at his parents.
Guarding his mother with his body so she could make it into the castle, Draco unsheathed the Sword of Gryffindor and sliced off the arm of someone just about to attack her. Blood spurt from the wound, splashing Draco's front in a hot liquid mess and painting the ground with dark red splatters. The Death Eater fell to his knees with an agonized yell. It sounded like Rudolphus.
Draco pressed his boot into the stump and pushed him back violently, causing another Death Eater to trip over Rudolphus' body and fall face first to the ground. Draco thrust with the sword, stabbing him in the back, and grunting as he shoved it through muscle, bone and flesh. The rattling death cry was lost in the pandemonium of hexes and shouting around them. Draco grabbed the handle with two hands and wrenched it out of his body, staggering backwards.
He winced as three hexes fizzled with a crackle after hitting the shield his mother cast over him.
The large giant statues charmed by Severus provided cover as the Order and defectors made their way inside. The knights lined up defensively, guarding the castle entrance. Severus and McGonagall, swift and merciless, fired at the Death Eaters chasing after the defectors.
His mother and father were at his back, cursing those that came too close as they made their way towards the castle. Someone else charged toward him. Draco lashed out with the sword again, swinging it in a graceful arc and slicing the Death Eater clear across the torso from shoulder to waist.
"Draco…" The gurgling voice sounded like Vince.
He ground his teeth to stop the bile rising in his throat. Draco knew something like this could happen. But there was no time to think. They had to fight their way to the castle or they'd die here. Most of the defectors had already made it inside thanks to his old professors.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Millie struggling with two Death Eaters. He cursed one just as she elbowed the other upside the jaw to snap his neck. Hefting the limp body over her head, she heaved him bodily into another Death Eater, knocking them both to the ground before jinxing them both for good measure. Then she charged into the castle, running with impossibly long legs, long blond hair flying behind her.
"Be ready to fall back!" he heard Tonks' distant cry.
Fuck.
They'd miss the cut off if they didn't hurry.
Back to back, the Malfoys slowly made their way over to the castle entrance, casting and parrying together. Someone else charged and Draco thrust, impaling the Death Eater in the chest. After the body fell to the ground, he stomped on the torso, pushing with his boot to yank out the sword.
Finally making a wide enough swath around them, his father yelled, "Now! Draco, move!"
Hexes were flying from the castle, providing them cover, and the three Malfoys ran while his mother maintained their Shield charms. The Order was already lying in wait inside. Severus and McGonagall stood at the castle entrance with their arms up, wands at the ready to make the separation.
Draco's heart sung as saw Hermione taking cover behind the arch frame, eyes fierce, attacking whoever was chasing after him. A rush of adrenaline propelled him forward as he ducked and dodged the bright flashes of light flying around him, trying to make it to her. His muscles burned as he took a running leap over a boulder and crashed to the ground. Pain shot through his knees at the impact and he released a sharp exhale through his teeth. Not wasting any time, he jumped up to sprint the last 20 yards but Hermione pointed her wand at him, and he ducked. After a purple light streaked over his head, he shot forward while the person she hit shrieked in pain behind him.
He just needed to get to her.
Severus and Minerva stood chanting, arms raised, and the courtyard trembled at their command. Turning one last time to jinx someone to his left, he launched himself into the air, trying to get past the knights and to Hermione just as he was yanked back by his shirt.
"Oh no you don't."
His stomach twisted in dread at the sound of Jugson's low growl.
Before Draco had a chance to react, he was whirled around and his head snapped back. Stumbling to the side, Draco's vision swam from the punch to his head. He blinked, trying to see where Jugson was as the ground shook under his feet. He staggered and turned back to the castle, watching in panicked desperation as one by one the rows of stones in the courtyard behind the knights guarding the castle entrance rippled and folded in on themselves. There was another rumble and everyone stumbled, trying to regain their footing as a huge chasm formed between the castle entrance and the knights guarding it.
Horror struck, he knew the divide was much too wide to leap across but he fumbled towards it anyway, hoping someone would be there to help him.
"Blood traitor!"
He screamed and his knee buckled from a sharp incision in his right leg. A hot burning sensation spread out from his upper thigh and he dropped the sword to the ground with a clank, clutching his leg in pain.
Jugson stalked over to him and he raised his wand to strike. Draco ducked when he saw Jugson rear back for another punch but the dizziness made it difficult to see the trajectory. His head snapped back again as Jugson's fist collided with his jaw, and he collapsed to the ground.
Ears ringing from the pain spreading out from his eye, he tried to attack Jugson from below but the Death Eater stepped on his wrist, grinding his boot into Draco's bones until he released his wand in agony. Draco gazed up in terror to see Jugson's mask gleaming above him. He didn't know what was wrong with his leg but he couldn't move it anymore. It burned as if seared by a hot iron.
Panting in fear, Draco struggled to get up but Jugson stomped on his chest and he yelled as the breath was pushed out of him.
"I should have known your spoiled, entitled arse wasn't worth the Dark Lord's piss."
He grabbed at Jugson's calf, struggling to pry it off him, and cried out again as Jugson leaned on his knee, crushing his chest with his bodyweight.
"Making Travers pay so some twat will suck your dick?"
The burning sting from his leg was unbearable – he saw several bursts of light blast into the Shield charm Jugson cast over them. It was too strong. He was going to die.
"You fucking cunt!" he spat.
Jugson leaned down, kneeled on Draco's chest and shoved his knee into his throat. Draco struggled violently on the ground, clawing at his leg. He needed air. His mouth made a soundless gasp as he struggled to breathe. His lungs were bursting, ready to explode in his rib cage.
"You bloody rich boys are all the same," Jugson jeered. "Look at you. Didn't learn shit. You can fucking die here like the lazy prick that you are."
Jugson pressed his knee into Draco's jaw, pushing his head back so it scraped against the stone ground. Draco's vision started to go red at the edges, and he saw Hermione through the gaps in the knights, upside down, standing next to his parents with desperate rage contorting her features. He gasped for air again, clawing at Jugson's thigh with rapidly weakening limbs.
Suddenly, he heard the crackling static indicating Jugson's Shield charm fizzled out. A silver flash shot out from Hermione's wand and the pressure on his neck lessened just as Draco was splattered with warm liquid.
Gasping for breath, Draco glanced up to see Jugson clutching his face, blood spurting out of the eyeholes of his mask, right before an orange blast knocked him off his feet.
oooooooooo
Hermione turned to see the blue eyes of Narcissa Malfoy, glassy with tears. Lucius was at her side, wiping the sweat from his forehead after all three destroyed that Death Eater's Shield charm.
"Vicious," the older woman commented, face slack with gratitude.
"Efficient!" Hermione panted in surprise.
Not having the time to think about the awkwardness of saving Draco's life together, all three turned back, firing curses to cover him as he rolled over onto his stomach, pushed himself up and limped awkwardly towards the opening of the castle as quickly as he could, dragging the Sword of Gryffindor behind him.
Goosebumps spread up and down her limbs. He was injured and covered in blood. But he was alive, and making his way towards her.
"Where's Lavender?" Ron yelled to her from across the entrance, cursing Death Eaters through the knights.
"I didn't see her!" Hermione yelled back over the cacophony of jinxes pummeling the castle entrance.
Draco looked around wildly when he reached the edge of the chasm between the knights and pinwheeled his arms in the air, struggling for balance as Lucius levitated him across while Narcissa shielded him. Draco flew through the air, crashed into his father, and smeared him with blood.
Lucius helped him stand and Hermione met his eyes, gleaming bright amidst the blood on his face. Her heart leapt inside her chest now that he was next to her.
Safe.
She pulled him against the wall behind her in case the impenetrable Shield their professors were maintaining faltered.
"Draco!" His mother cried turning him to face her. Tears streamed down his mother's face as she hugged him, not noticing he smeared her with blood.
Hermione turned back to scan the chaos and saw Lavender, running frantically to the entrance, leaping over debris and stone, blond, curly-haired ponytail flying behind her.
"There!" she screamed at Ron, pointing straight ahead. Ron jogged over to see Greyback and a few other Death Eaters at Lavender's heels. Hermione fired slicing hexes at them, while Ron shot a series of Reductos at their feet, tripping them up so Lavender could escape. She reached the edge of the chasm and stared at them, wide-eyed in panic.
"Wingardium LeviOsa!" Ron cried out just as Hermione – despite the mayhem of the battle – couldn't help but note his pronunciation was dead accurate.
Ron levitated Lavender over the chasm while Hermione shielded her and the busty blond collided into her, knocking her to the ground with the force of Ron's levitating spell.
Hermione's head hit the stone floor just as Lavender breathed a 'Sorry!' into her face, immediately rolling off. Hermione clutched the back of her head and despite her vision swimming, she could see more and more Death Eaters lining up near the edge of the chasm, fighting the knights and dismantling her professors' Shield.
The concave shape of the Heads' protection spell became clear as the colorful bursts of magic dissolved into white flashes which spread and diffused outward. The combined force of Minerva and Severus shielding the entrance was strong, but it was only matter of time before it fell as more and more of Voldemort's Army attacked.
A few attempted to levitate each other over the chasm but were immediately shot down by Ron and Draco's parents. Their screams echoed downward as they dropped into the abyss.
Lavender pushed herself up, indiscriminately sending a series of balls of flame at the Death Eaters trying to get past the statues and knights. A few caught fire and flailed their arms helplessly, but Greyback took a running jump and leapt clear across.
"We can't stop him!" Minerva called back as Greyback flew by her.
Still slightly dizzy, Hermione blinked as her vision cleared and watched from her prone position on the ground as Lavender screeched, "Incendio!"
A huge fireball exploded from her wand, engulfing Greyback with a whoosh just as he landed with a thud on the ground in front of them. Ron and Hermione winced from the sudden wall of heat and Lavender turned back, covering her head as the flames imploded towards his body. His shrieks of agony sounded down the corridor as Lavender slowly stood up to watch him burn, her body a silhouette in front of the flaming pyre.
"Go!" Hermione screamed at her, no longer dizzy.
Lavender jumped and turned around, mouth agape in a deranged smile, and raced down the hallway, completely in her element.
Snape and Minerva stood strong, shielding them from the hexes pummeling the entrance.
Ron yanked Hermione up and she quickly assessed the stragglers while her professors held the remainder of Voldemort's army at bay. Draco could barely walk, while his father didn't look in any shape to run either. Snape and Minerva would have to sprint to the one-eyed witch. It would be close.
"You're wasting time!" Snape called back to them. Their shield was flickering as streaks of light pummeled it relentlessly. "Move!"
Eyes wide, Ron tugged her in the direction of the hidden passageway but she looked back, waiting for her professors.
Minerva stood in the middle of the entrance, eyeing Snape with a sad smile. "They're yours to protect now."
He nodded sagely.
What?
Minerva glanced pointedly at Hermione and called back, "Miss Granger, it's been a pleasure."
Her professor stepped in front of Snape, directly in the line of fire and drew a white blazing circle with her wand. Hermione's eyes widened as Snape quickly strode away from the entrance, turning his dark gaze to her and Ron.
"It's a gift. Don't waste it."
Hermione nodded with a trembling lip.
Glancing back towards Minerva, Ron ran down the entrance hallway, and turned a corner to open a hidden door behind a tapestry, waving everyone through as they struggled to catch up. Hermione anxiously walked with the Malfoys, wanting to grab Draco to hurry them along but his parents were at his side, helping him limp.
She turned back in apprehension, heart thudding loudly in her ears. The white circle in front of Minerva enlarged and flickered as it held the combined attack at bay.
"Quickly," Snape warned, eyeing his colleague from around the corner.
They were running out of time.
Narcissa and Lucius pulled Draco around the corner, and helped him limp through the passageway. Snape swiftly entered and Draco grabbed her arm, yanking her inside the cramped quarters. She collided into his body and glanced up into his frantic eyes, shining brightly down at her through the blood on his face.
Ron slammed the hidden door shut and plunged them into darkness. Snape illuminated his wand.
Hermione protested softly. "She can still make it. We can open the–"
"No," Snape cut her off with a harsh whisper. "Minerva knew it would happen this way. If you value your lives, you'll leave it shut. Believe me, I tried."
Without another word, he stalked off down the corridor to join the rest of the Order. She watched the small glow of his Lumos Charm recede in the distance with echoes of his footfalls. All was silent except for their heavy breathing. Draco still had a death grip on her arm.
Hermione held back a sob, picturing her teacher holding off an army of Death Eaters all on her own. Suddenly they heard a blast and she jumped. The Death Eaters must have broken through the shield. Their yelling got louder as they made their way across the chasm, quickly approaching as they searched for stray Order members.
Dead.
Minerva had just given her life for her students and the rest of the Order.
"Where does this go?" Narcissa whispered, listening the pounding footfalls of Voldemort's army in the darkness.
Everyone held their breath as the slaps of boots against stone got louder. But no one stopped, no one knew of the passageway, and Hermione's shoulders sagged in relief as Voldemort's army continued on down the hallway
"To the kitchens," she and Ron whispered back at the same time. The Marauder's Map had them well acquainted with nearly all of the secret passageways in the castle.
"Oh god." Hermione stifled another sob.
Draco held her close. "Grieve later," he whispered.
He was right, there was no time. Just like there was no time to grieve for Harry. She sniffed, pulling herself together. Yelling echoed from outside as the Death Eaters continued breaching the chasm, heading on deeper into the castle, not knowing what awaited them.
"You can all follow Snape through to the kitchens," she explained in a choked voice. "Take the south staircase upstairs so you don't get hit by the second and third strikes. Ron can–"
Her words were cut off by another explosion as screams sliced through the air. They huddled together, bracing themselves against the walls as the floor rocked and pebbles loosened from the ceiling, falling down upon their heads. Draco tightened his grip on her. She wondered how he was still able to stand with the way he had been limping.
After the rumbling ceased, Narcissa whispered, "What was that?"
"The Great Hall," Ron answered. She felt him wipe his tears away.
Some Death Eaters would be trapped there now. Their force would be systematically separated, trapped and broken apart as they ventured deeper into the castle, making their numbers useless. If they even had the numerical advantage anymore. The remainder would be picked off by roving groups of the Order sweeping the castle.
Hit, incapacitate, kill if necessary, and always break their wands before moving on.
Tonks was brilliant.
"Ron can show you where to go," she continued. "I want to heal Draco's leg while we're safe from the fighting."
"Yes," his mother agreed with her. "I'll help."
"I'm not leaving you alone with them," Ron's voice was low and threatening in the dark.
"I won't let anything happen to her, Weasel," Draco growled back.
"As if we–" She heard Lucius begin to drawl but Narcissa cut him off.
"We're grateful to have your protection and will do as you see fit."
"I need a light," Hermione spoke. They didn't have time for bickering. She wanted to heal Draco so they could all return to the battle.
Three wands instantly illuminated in the passageway and she looked up at Draco. His face, hair and torso were saturated with blood and his grey eyes glittered in the wand light. His mother Scourgified the blood immediately. making him wince, but she saw no source of blood on his face. However, his temple, neck, jaw and cheek were red and bruising quickly.
Hermione dug her fingers into her palms as she recalled watching that larger Death Eater squeezing the life out of him. She felt utterly helpless when it seemed she'd watch him die, unable to reach him.
"Did you get hit in the head?" Narcissa asked tilting his head to the side and running her hand through his hair, looking for a wound.
"No, that's Rudolphus' blood," he replied with distaste, allowing his mother to poke and prod as she checked him for injuries. "Or Jugson's," he held his arm out, also dripping with someone's blood. "Maybe both."
Narcissa Scourgified the rest of him.
"I…" his voice faltered, and they all looked up at him while his mother healed his cheek and temple. "I killed Vince," his voice cracked.
Ron wisely stayed silent. They were all losing people today.
Hermione saw Narcissa's eyes flick to Draco's and they shared a knowing glance. She squeezed his upper arm tenderly. "It can't be helped."
Hermione eyed the interaction and didn't interfere as his mother attended to the remaining bruises on his face and neck. She backed away to see why Draco was limping. "Can you sit on the floor and pull up your trouser leg?"
He lowered himself and winced. "Fucking Jugson," he muttered.
"Language," Narcissa scolded him, studying his movements as he lowered himself.
"Sorry, mother." He didn't sound sorry.
There was only enough width for two people across so they were careful when crowding around him.
Hermione lifted Draco's pant leg to reveal an angry black slice up his shin and past his knee. Drawing her wand along his trousers, she sliced up the fabric revealing a black injury on his thigh. The veins surrounding the wound spidered out, and were also black. His mother hissed. It was a nasty blood curse. Clearly painful and inhibiting his ability to walk, but it wasn't deadly. Not in the near term anyway – it only hit his leg.
But he was out of commission.
"I don't know how to heal this," Hermione said, looking into his eyes apologetically.
Draco's expression changed from distaste to anger and he glared back at her. He knew she was going to leave him to rejoin the battle.
His jaw clenched. "Don't."
"You can barely walk," she explained, motioning to his leg. "But you'll be safe here in the meantime. I'll come back for you or send someone. I promise."
She turned to go but he grabbed her hand and yanked her back, she toppled forward onto him and he caught her with his other hand, holding her tight to his chest. His eyes were dark and dangerous, making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.
Ron whipped his wand out. "Let her go, Malfoy."
Lucius pointed his wand at Ron's head. "Don't. You. Dare."
"Lucius," Narcissa chastised. "Mr. Weasley. This is unnecessary. Please lower your wands."
Hermione stared into his dark, angry eyes.
"Draco," she whispered against his lips. "Draco, you can't do this now. I have to go. You know that, don't you? I'll come back, or send for help if I can't. I won't leave you."
Before she could protest more, he pulled her in and kissed her deeply, oblivious to his parents and to Ron and she responded passionately, knowing he had relented. Draco didn't care who saw, and didn't care about the sounds of the battle echoing down the corridors. His fingers tightened around the back of her neck and he held her tight. After another moment he bit lightly on her lip and then released her, holding her forehead against his own.
"I love you," Draco whispered. His voice was raw, and he was uncaring that his parents heard. Perhaps he said it on purpose, in front of them.
"I know, and I'll be back," she promised. "I'm not leaving you. Now or ever."
His eyes were still dark, but he loosened his grip, and she sighed in relief. Pushing herself up, she backed away and he slowly unfisted her hair, allowing her tendrils to untangle from his fingers.
Hermione stood up and his arm fell limply to his thigh. Backing away, she was unable to tear her eyes away from his piercing gaze as he sat injured on the floor in the dim wand light. She passed Narcissa, who gave her something between a grateful nod and a sneer.
"Avoid the third floor," she cautioned his mother.
"Why?"
They heard another explosion in the distance and the corridor rumbled. Hermione braced herself against the wall and turned back to his mother. "Never mind, it's safe now."
Lucius didn't even try to conceal the hatred on his face as she and Ron shuffled past him. She met his icy stare without the barest flicker of an eyelid before she broke into a jog with Ron to rejoin the fight.
Harry was dead, Minerva was dead, and although Draco was safe in the passageway, he was already badly injured.
And the battle had just begun.
Chapter end notes:
I wanted Draco hacking off limbs with a sword and Lavender burning people to death. Especially Greyback. So sue me.
Next up: MORE BAD-ASSERY!
