Chapter Thirteen
Okay, I was back. After barely two minutes of vanishing again, I was back.
Where the hell could that boy have gone? Who could he even contact? I thought that he was cut off from the wizarding world!
The battle ground looked about the same. It was hard to distinguish one's blood from another's, there was so much of it.
I ran and ran, dodging various spells, filled with new adrenaline, on an all new high. My mind was shrouded with new questions; my heart was engulfed in new hope. But first, I had to find Draco.
I was almost at safe territory when a hand clasped around my ankle and pulled me down as I ran.
I thudded against the ground. As the stars faded, I turned my head to look at who grabbed me.
"Lucius," I growled.
"Mudblood," he sneered, albeit weakly.
The man looked awful. His face was bloodied and bruised, his legs were twisted at odd angles, and his robes were soaked through with blood. What's scary: I didn't feel one ounce of sympathy.
"Get off me, you old bastard. Trying to do some damage on me this near your death?"
"Killing off…" he coughed, "one m-more mudblood," he winced in pain, "would be a quite honorable…way to die, I think."
As if. The stupid blonde could barely reach for his wand, let alone off me. "Get over yourself." I reached in my pocket and pulled out my wand. "I really don't have time for you, old man. A-Avada Kedavra!" He went stiff on the spot.
I recognized my hesitation before the killing curse- a common trait in new recruits.
Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck! His hand was still attached to my ankle. Oh, gross!
I tried to wiggle it off, but it wouldn't budge. I shook my leg harder, but it still wouldn't give. Just bloody brilliant.
"Hermione? Oh, God, Hermione!"
"Ginny! Help!"
"Oh, God, I'm so sorry!" She knelt down and threw her arms around me. Then her tone changed. "Oh my God. What the hell is that?"
"Ginny, a corpse has a death grip on my ankle. Help would be appreciated."
"Sure, hold on." She tapped her wand against Lucius's arm. "Sectum-silicium!" His hand was severed from the rest of him, releasing me.
"Ew," we said in unison.
"Thanks," I said as she helped me up.
"No problem." A spell shot above our heads. "Come on, let's get to headquarters."
"Ah. Thanks," I winced as Ginny performed a healing spell.
"Wow. So he actually went looking for you."
"Yeah. Don't know why, exactly," I mumbled.
"Well, after all the facts you've given me, the stories of your escapades, it's quite obvious to me."
"It's love."
"It's lo-" She stopped. "Why, yes! That's exactly what I was going to-"
"Ginny, where's Harry right now?"
Her smiled dropped and she concentrated on my wound again. "How should I know? He's not my problem. He doesn't want to be my problem."
I almost laughed. "Ginny Weasley, you are such a hypocrite!"
"Hermione!" She started indignantly.
"Ginny," I said sternly. Then I cracked a smile. "You know you're crazy for him. And you also know that he's crazy for you too!"
Eyes still on her work, she lifted her head slightly. "I know no such thing."
"Ginny," I pleaded. "Let it gooo…" I put my hand on her shoulder. "You know you love him," I said gently. "You two are such a…a perfect fit. Don't you know how hard it is to find your perfect fit? And I know, I know, he was a stupid git. Forgive him for being a man. Because you won't find another one better for you."
For a while, we sat in silence, and I thought I lost her. But then she said grudgingly, "That used to be me. I used to be the one who knew all that stuff. Merlin." She smiled up at me. "Malfoy must have done a job on you."
"Yeah," I looked outside, "he must have."
An explosion broke out through the woods suddenly, rattling even the walls of the headquarters.
"Oh my God," I breathed. "Something's happening."
I jumped up and ran for the door. "I gotta find him, Ginny! And I advise you to do the same!"
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This was crazy. I didn't even know if he was here, for goodness's sake! I mean, did I truly know what was going on? For all I knew, Lisa could have misunderstood his words. I had no lead on his location, I didn't know who he could have contacted…when it all came down to it, I didn't know a bloody thing!
And yet…here I was, running around a literal death trap, searching for him.
As I reached the field, I saw that everyone was gathered in a cluttered clump, fighting closely instead of spread out everywhere.
What was happening here?
Taking a deep breath, I plunged into the group. Mass chaos, it was. In such close contact, everything was a blur. I was hit in the face, and as I stayed on the ground, dizzy, people were stepping on my body, occasionally on somewhere sensitive.
"Ow!" I cried as someone kicked my head. I'd try to get up, but something would just push me back down again.
A spell shot down at me, scraping a foot- long gash on my leg. Blood splurted out, causing tears to sting at the corners of my eyes. My head was pounding; I could feel that I was edging closer and closer to unconsciousness.
But then a pair of arms pulled me out and carried me to the safe wooded area. For a second, I could've sworn…but when he spoke, it wasn't his voice.
"Bloody hell."
"R-Ron?" My vision was hazy, but I made out the striking red hair.
"Hermione, you're covered with blood," he said in a strange voice.
"Ron, have you seen him?" I asked feebly.
"Seen him…seen who? Draco?"
Another gigantic blast shook us.
"Bloody hell, what is going on?" We both got up.
"I think I know," he replied in the same uncharacteristic- yet familiar- voice. He was acting extremely strange.
I looked at him. "You know?"
He looked at me questioningly. "Shouldn't you know too?"
He took my hand and we went toward the group. Now, everyone was in a gigantic circle, surrounding…something. We pushed past everyone until we were in the front.
Harry and Voldemort. Of course. Of course. Only…
It looked like…
Harry was losing.
Voldemort shot another spell at him; Harry rolled over a couple of times, tracking blood.
"No, no, no," I whispered. I tried to run forward, but it seemed that there was some kind of barrier separating them from the rest of the crowd. I looked around at the people remaining. There weren't too many here. Only the best were to be here for the Final Scene.
My heart sank. Draco wasn't here. And if he wasn't here, that could only mean two things: either he didn't even come, or he…
Voldemort spoke up. "Well, Harry Potter. It seems that no one is here to help you now."
Harry glared at him as he spit out blood. His wand was still feebly clutched in his hand.
"But…as long as you're still alive and kicking…" Voldemort swished his wand at the crowd.
Nothing seemed to happen at first. But then, a body seemed to be dragging toward them, screaming curses.
"Didn't you ever wonder, Potter, what the last Horcrux was? Well…"
The body finally reached the middle of the circle. And what a shock it was. It was then, and only then, that Harry let down his tough façade to show his utter horror.
"Ginerva Weasely," said Voldemort, demented almost.
She was tied up, covered in blood, and angry tears were streaming down her face. She caught Harry's eye and her face softened in apology. She shook her head sorrowfully. He tried to go toward her, but he was blasted back.
Harry got up from the ground, breathing heavily from his injuries. He could only kneel. "Let her go," he said deathly quiet, full of menace and hidden fear.
"And ruin my fun?" the crazy bastard teased.
"I said let her go!"
Voldemort's voice rose to a crazy shout. "Yes, Harry Potter! In your second year, I made my last Horcrux through another, and it is she! It is within the one and only girl you truly love… And now, because my victory is assured, it will be worth an insignificant piece of my soul just to see you witness the utter pain and delectable agony of her murder!"
"No!"
"THAT'S ENOUGH, TOM."
The voice of power shook through the atmosphere, silencing everyone. Voldemort stopped in his tracks.
Then, I noticed that it was no longer Ron Weasley that was standing next to me.
The crowd parted. Right before my eyes, Lord Voldemort became fearful Tom Riddle. He dropped his wand and as he turned slowly, his face clearly showed his terror. He gaped, opening his mouth, unable to form a word. I was the same. I think most were. Finally, Harry was the one to speak.
"D-Dumbledore?"