Hermione wanted to scream but her voice refused to come out. In front of her the wall had turned back into a solid wall. She bit down on the hand and whirled around, her wand ready to hex her attacker.
"Ouch!" a voice yelped and Hermione saw a figure sit down on the floor and cradle her hand
"Tonks!" Hermione cried relieved and rushed to the Auror's side.
"Thank Merlin you two are alive. We'll save the sentiments for later. We have to get out now"
Hermione nodded and Draco whimpered, "Hermione what's happening?"
"Shh it's alright Draco. You can open your eyes for now."
"Tonks where were you?"
"I was downstairs when the front door swung open. I was about to run out to greet whoever came in but my wand started glowing red. I knew they weren't from the order. I ran to the kitchen instead—there was another staircase there. They would've seen me if I had tried to use the main staircase"
"There's a staircase in the kitchen?"
The Auror nodded, "Remember the cabinet there that runs all the way to the ceiling? The one Molly uses to store the kitchen brooms? There's a hidden latch on the roof that pulls down a ladder"
"Where are we right now?" Hermione asked, "I didn't know there was a room beyond this wing"
"This is actually the missing wing of the noble house of black. I don't know what happened but according to Sirius, years ago, the family decided to close it off forever. Of course they didn't destroy it, they just sealed it and pretended it wasn't here"
"And the brick wall? Is that part of the magic?"
Tonks chuckled, "No, that was my doing. It's basically a spell that makes the molecules of a solid object loosen up allowing other objects to pass through it. You guys would have learned it in Hogwarts this year"
Hermione frowned at the thought of missing a whole year's worth of subjects to learn but she shook her head and focused on her priorities right now, "What do we do now Tonks? We can't go back out there"
The Auror nodded, "How many did you spot?"
"Three"
"I counted five on my way up here. They must have sent in their new recruits—pawns, I like to call them. You-know-who wouldn't send his best death eaters here"
"How did they even get in here," Hermione asked worriedly
"Did you feel the wards shift?" Tonks asked
Hermione frowned as she tried to remember, "No…just my wand—"
"Started glowing" Tonks nodded, "I didn't either. Normally we would have felt the wards shift if someone even remotely tried to tamper with it. The wands just glow when it doesn't recognize the magical signature of someone in the house"
"But that means…"
Tonks looked pale, "Someone sold us out. This house is unplottable—built like a fortress. In fact the only way to get inside is to know where it is. Those death eaters…someone told them how to get in that's why the wards didn't kick in.
The two listened closely for movements in the house. It seems the intruders have moved themselves upstairs.
"Alright, I want the two of you to follow me. But before we move on I want you to listen to me. The both of you." Tonks looked at them gravely. In all of Hermione's times with Tonks she had never seen the Auror look so serious. She handed the Gryffindor two coins.
"Portkeys?" Hermione said
"When we get out in the open we don't know how many more Death eaters are waiting outside. I want you to promise me this: No matter what happens run and do not drop this coin. Keep it clutched in your hand at all times" The Auror instructed, "Run all the way towards the end of the street to the apparition point where the portkeys can activate. The charms on the house are too strong for the portkey to work here"
"It will transport you into a safe zone. It's going to be heavily protected by spells that only allow the bearer of these coins to enter. Wait for help there. Do you understand?"
"But what if—"
"Hermione, wait for help—even if it takes days. We can't have any more on our side wandering around aimlessly"
The younger witch nodded with understanding, "What about you?"
"I have a different portkey for a different location. It's not wise to apparate all in one place. It's more noticeable. And since you're of age already, two full witches apparating somewhere will send off a suspicious amount of magical energy. They'll be able to trace us faster."
Hermione nodded and Tonks stood up to start putting up charms to help secure their path out of there. Hermione ripped the edge of her nightgown and produced two strips. She then proceed to wrap one around Draco's palm, trapping and securing the coin in it before doing the same with her left, "Draco"
The boy looked up at her, alert, "Are we going to be okay?"
Hermione nodded, "Listen, I want you to promise something. Promise that no matter what happens out there you'll listen to everything I say ok?"
"But—"
"Draco" Hermione said sternly
"Okay" the boy said quietly and Hermione picked him up again.
Tonks walked back to the two as they stood, "Alright then, get ready"
xxx
It was eerily quiet when they stepped out on the street—like the calm before the storm. It wasn't long before the air was filled with the thunderous sounds of Death eaters swarming. "They were waiting for us," Hermione thought, as she looked frantically around. The muggles in their homes didn't seem to take notice of a dozen of murderers infesting their street.
"Tonks!" a voice called out
Hermione looked towards the voice and saw another Auror appearing.
"Shacklebolt! You're finally back!"
"No time" He said throwing a protego, successfully deflecting a spell about to hit the two women, "The others will be on their way soon. You two! Head to the apparition point! NOW!"
Hermione didn't need to be told twice. She clutched Draco tighter and she sped towards the end of the street, with Tonks right on her heels, deflecting hexes that came their way. Halfway to the apparition point a bright white light suddenly danced it's way beside Hermione and transfigured into her former defense against the dark arts professor.
"Oh Remus" Tonks cried happily and then her face changed into the look of alarm, "Where's—"
"Relax, love. Teddy is safe with your mother," He smiled at Tonks as both of them now were helping the golden girl make it through the hordes of Deatheaters, "I brought Mad-eye with me, he's helping Shackelbolt"
Hermione's heart fluttered with hope as feet pushed desperately against the ground, willing herself to go faster. Draco started to feel heavier in her arms but this only made her clutch him tighter. They were nearing the apparition point when suddenly Draco screamed, "Hermione!"
A hex caught Hermione's leg and a huge vertical slice on her skin appeared. She toppled over from the pain, her body twisting last minute to protect the four-year-old clinging onto her for dear life. She saw Remus stupefy her attacker as Tonks ran to her.
"Hermione you have to get up," Tonks said frantically as she pushed the golden girl on to her feet. Hermione winced in pain and they began struggling towards their destination. The Gryffindor looked back at the death eaters now gaining on them. Lupin was doing his best to hold them off but it wasn't enough.
"Tonks, go help Remus, I'll be fine" Hermione croaked weakly as she pushed herself off of her.
"Hermione-!"
"Go! Before it's too late," Hermione pleaded, "Just keep them at bay long enough and I'll be fine.
The Auror looked at her with a grim expression before nodding and turning to go help her husband.
"Hermione?" Draco whimpered
"Draco, listen to me. Keep running. Don't look back and just keep heading down the street"
"NO!" the four-year-old protested
"Remember what you promised awhile ago"
"But…" the four year old started tearing up.
"I'll be right behind you, I promise" Hermione smiled
The boy backed away from her with wide eyes and nodded before breaking out into a run. Hermione watched him reach the apparition point and be whisked away by the portkey in his hand. She started walking again, her leg was getting heavier and heavier. She contemplated on just giving up and sitting there but then she thought of Draco waiting for her in the other end; she thought of Harry and Ron who are sacrificing their lives right now to save her and the whole Wizarding community and; she thought of her parents who she had to give up just so that they could live. These thoughts pushed her to go on.
She was so near now. She was just on step away from escaping when she heard the terrified screams of Nymphadora Tonks calling her name. Hermione whirled around. She saw the Mad-eye, Shackelbolt and Remus, lined up with their backs to her, keeping the Death eaters at bay. She saw Tonks stare at her with a horrified expression on her face as a rogue hex came hurtling towards her.
Hermione raise her wand but she wasn't fast enough. The spell had hit her square on her chest and she was sent backwards. Bleeding marks appeared under her nightgown as she disapparated away.
xxx
Pain was all Hermione Granger could feel right now as she forced herself to breathe. But something as simple as breathing was impossible because every time her chest would expand her wounds would open just a little bit wider sending fresh wave of pain to her entire body.
"Hermione!" a boy sobbed beside her, "What do I do? What do I do?"
"Di…tta-ny" Hermione murmured through half-opened eyes, "t-the b..bag.."
She could feel Draco remove the bag off of her. It was one of her purses that she had used an undetectable extension charm on. She could hear all her books and clothes and trinkets falling about as Draco frantically searched the bag for the healing potion.
With a cry of frustration the Slytherin took out his arm from the object and proceeded to tip it over and shake it, sending all Hermione's stuff flying everywhere. He stopped when a silver bottle clinked on the floor and he threw the bag aside quickly scooping up the potion.
Hermione felt relief wash over her as the little boy applied the medicine on her wounds. As to how he knew how to use that potion, she couldn't think right now. All she could think about was how tired she was and how she very much wanted to sleep. After another minute she felt all pain wash away from her replaced with a feeling of numbness as she closed her eyes.
She felt two small hands shaking her arm. She wanted to reach out and hold the owner of those hands but her body wouldn't budge. The last thing she heard as her mind faded into darkness was the cry of the four-year-old.
"Hermione, wake up!" the tiny voice begged, "Please wake up! You promised you wouldn't leave me, you promised!"
A/N: Here's my promised update. I posted two chapters today (yay)—ok, actually it was just one chapter that I split into two because it made no sense to put them together. You'll see why. So yay, bonus-ish update...?
& To "Guest-Who-Guessed-Snape" Darn it, why didn't I think of Snape...