School has now started for me, and I have quite a bit of English homework, so I won't be able to update very often. I'll do my best, though, and there aren't too many chapters left, anyway. Please continue to review! It makes me want to update more. Also, I realized that I made a mistake; in German, it's not Jon, it's Jan, and it's pronounced similar to 'yawn'. I'm too lazy to fix this in previous chapters, but I have amended it from here on out.

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After traveling for about three hours and nine miles, the group stopped for a brief break on the edge of a wood by a meadow. They had slowed their pace and found a hefty stick for Hermione to use as a cane so they didn't have to carry her the whole time.

"I'm so hungry," Draco said, clutching his growling stomach as he sat down on a rock.

"Well, why don't you and Elsa go and find some food? We're all hungry. Jan and I will find some water and see about maybe starting a fire," Hermione said. Jan nodded in agreement.

Draco sighed and stood back up, looking around for Elsa. He finally located her a few yards away, watching some bugs in the grass.

"Come on, Elsa, let's see what we can scrounge up," he said, taking the little girl's hand. They walked off a little distance until disappearing down a small slope.

"So, Jan, tell me. What are we going to do when we get to Antwerp?" Hermione asked, turning to the kind Belgian.

"Well, we'll have to go to the wizarding district, find someone who knows Faye, and convince her or one of her contacts to take you children back to England. That could be slightly more difficult because the sanctions on apparation have become stricter than ever before. One really isn't supposed to apparate with more than one other person now, because no one wants the wizarding community possibly aiding the Axis powers. I don't know if they think it would be possible for a single wizard to transport an entire battalion of Nazis or what, but they don't want to risk it. Plus, apparating all the way across the North Sea, or even the English Channel, takes a lot of energy and concentration, and many wizards and witches aren't willing to take the chance of not making it. If they loose their concentration, they could end up in the middle of frigid, submarine and mine infested waters," Jan shuddered at the thought.

"Oh. Yes, I understand the dilemma now," Hermione nodded, her voice quiet.

Suddenly, shots rang out in the distance. Hermione felt her heart stop for a moment before kicking into overdrive.

"Jan, what was that?" she asked, her voice trembling. It was a stupid question; she knew it had been the report of a rifle, but her fear was directed more towards who had done the firing than what had been fired. Jan seemed to understand the underlying meaning to her question, though.

"I think we should get ready to run," he said, dismantling their makeshift camp and heading towards the far end of the clearing. Hermione stood, reached for her cane and followed him.

Just as they reached the far side, Draco burst into side, the small form of Elsa slung across his back, her small arms wrapped around his neck. He was in a dead run and crossing the meadow at an incredible speed. He didn't slow down as he neared his two companions, merely shouted for them to run. They needn't have been told twice, as they immediately began to follow.

They had only just gotten out of sight of the clearing before they heard the shouts of the soldiers just reaching the now evacuated meadow. Too far away to make out what was being said, Hermione could still discern the apparent anger in their voices and wondered what Draco and Elsa had been doing in the vicinity of the Germans.

After they had been running for nearly fifteen minutes, they reached a thicket with a little deer trail running into its heart. Anxious for a reprieve from their exertion, the group ducked in and stumbled to a small hollow in the center where they all collapsed from exhaustion.

It was then that Hermione got a good look at Elsa. After Draco carefully removed the child from his back and placed her on the ground, it was obvious that she had been shot. A large bloodstain was quickly forming on her already tattered dress, just below her left shoulder blade. Her face was deathly pale, and the look on her face clearly registered extreme pain.

"Oh no!" Hermione breathed. She moved towards the child, desperate to try and heal the wound, but knowing full well that she didn't know enough healing charms to fix a wound as severe as that. But before she could reach Elsa, Draco was crouched next to her, gently pulling the injured child onto his lap. His eyes were shiny with tears, and his chin was trembling with the effort of holding them back.

"Oh, Elsa, I'm so sorry," he whispered, unable to contain his grief any longer. He cradled her body against his chest, his body wracked with sobs. Elsa raised one small hand and placed it on his cheek, causing him to jump.

"Please don't cry for me," she said, trying to smile at him, "I get to be with my parents again. What would I do in England, anyway? I would be placed in an orphanage, but I would hate that. I remember my parents, and no one could ever take their places. I'm happier this way," she sighed. Her hand began to slip from his cheek, but Draco grabbed it and cupped it in his large one. "You have been very kind to me, and I thank you. I hope you make it back safely," she smiled one last time, and then her head gently lolled back on the arm Draco had been supporting her with. Elsa was gone.

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I know it was short, but I just needed to get this chapter written. Hopefully it won't take me as long on the next one, but I can't promise anything. Please review, even if it's flames!