George and I spun back around, wands raised and ready as Fred started talking.

"What are you doing out of the room of requirements?"

"I wasn't about to stay in there while the rest of my family was out here!" she replied hotly.

"You need to go back, you're not supposed to be fighting."

"At this point it's far safer for her to stay here, she won't be able to get back to the room of requirements without running into the Death Eaters." I snapped, looking over my shoulder and silencing the argument. I could hear footsteps heading our way, and we really did not need anybody arguing. "Besides, she has as much right to fight as any of us. Just because we're older doesn't mean we've got more talent." The footsteps grew louder and I heard another scream, followed by a flash of red light. George and I both bellowed 'Protego' at the same time as a group of Death Eaters ran around the corner. A shout sounded behind us followed by a blast and an exclamation . We couldn't turn around to even see if they were all right though, we were fighting for our lives at the moment. Five Death Eaters had come around the corner and started throwing more spells at us than I could count. I took the defense while George took the offense.

I shot shield after shield, blocking all their spells and trying to keep George, the others, and myself safe from them while George tried to take them down. They were sneering as we started the fight, probably thinking two beat up teenagers were no match for them. They all lost their sneers moments after they started fighting though. George was an incredible fighter, he could manipulate magic faster and more seamlessly than I had ever seen anyone else, he truly made it look like an art form. I was just as fast with the shields and deflects, so they couldn't touch us, but George was slowly taking them out. He knocked one down with a perfectly placed stunner, blasting him back into another and leaving both unconscious.

George stepped back and to the right, switching positions with me in an intricate dance we had perfected with hours of practice reading each other. I took up the offensive and he took up the defensive. Our quick change and seamless moves threw the death eaters off their game momentarily and allowed me the chance to hit one in the stomach with a body bind and then a stunner.

We were down to two Death Eaters.

I shot anther stunner, hitting one right in the knee. His partner bellowed in rage as he fell and charge forward, screaming at the top of his lung. A flash of blue light hit him from behind and he crumpled to his knees unconscious as two new figures emerged from around the corner. George and I both dropped our shields, surging forward and grasping the two new comers in tight hugs.

"Ron, Harry!" I exclaimed, stepping back and letting them into the corridor.

"We got it, the only thing left is the snake!" Harry exclaimed, panting as he ran towards Fred and the others. I turned around and realized that the others were fighting several Death Eaters themselves, they'd gotten through the passage somehow.

"Hello, Minister!" Percy bellowed, sending a neat jinx straight at Thicknesse, who dropped his wand and clawed at the front of his robes, apparently in awful discomfort. "Did I mention I'm resigning?"

"You're joking, Perce!" Fred shouted in glee as the Death Eater he was battling collapsed under the weight of three separate Stunning Spells. Thicknesse had fallen to the ground with tiny spikes erupting all over him; he seemed to be turning into some form of sea urchin. Fred looked over at Percy with glee.

"You actually are joking, Perce. . . . I don't think I've heard you joke since you were –"

The air exploded in a blast of rubble, dust, and fire. I felt myself fly through the air, into George, and down to the ground. Screams of pain issued from the other end of the hall, and my world began to spin as I heard two words.

"Fred? NO!"

Darkness threatened to claim me but I forced myself up, rolling off George and pushing myself up from the ground. George was right behind me, stumbling up before running forward, all ready screaming for his twin. I was right behind him, coughing on the dust that still filled the air. Shouts filled the corridor, but I couldn't make any of htem out, I could barely see through the dust cloud. What I could make out didn't look good. The entire wall look like it had fallen down where everyone had been standing, lights were issuing from it and I thought I saw a leg trying to climb through.

George had reached the rubble by now, and was digging through it trying to get to where the others were. I shot a stunner at the whole in the wall, fighting back a scream when I realized it was a giant spider that was trying to climb through the wall.

George yelled something, but I couldn't make out just what it was. I was firing more spells at the huge spider, but he wasn't stopping, he was just slowing down a little bit.

"GET THEM OUT OF THERE!" I screamed over my shoulder, fighting the spider off with everything I could think of. I stopped the stunners and aimed my wand at a particularly big piece of the wall and levitated it before firing it at the spider. He withdrew at that, screeching in pain as he tried to put weight on his now injured foot. I heard someone moving behind me along with several voices I recognized, but I still couldn't tell what they were saying. My head was starting to throb painfully and I could feel something wet, warm, and sticky trailing down my temple.

I kept firing spells at the giant spider that was now extremely ticked. He forced more of the wall down, and I leap to the side, barely avoiding the falling rubble. I shot more spells, aiming at the Death Eaters behind him as well. My world was starting to grow somewhat hazy and I felt like I was spinning. I wasn't going to be able to hold out much longer, I was losing consciousness, and then the spider and whatever else was in that tunnel would be able to get through.

"Hermione, come on, get out of there!" Someone's voice called from me, I couldn't tell who it was though, I stepped back, still firing spells. I tripped on something and fell over, hitting my already throbbing head on something hard, and everything went black.

{}{}{}

I blinked my eyes, awake suddenly and extremely soar. My head was pounding so hard that it felt like it would split open at any second. I recognized the distinct jump started feel that 'Enervate' always left behind and I looked around without moving my head.

The ceiling above me was dark and covered in cracks, I didn't recognize it. I closed my eyes again and focused on the surface I was lying on. It was extremely hard and felt rough, as though I was lying on a table.

A table?

I forced my eyes open again and looked back up at the ceiling. I was in the Great Hall, that's why I hadn't recognized the ceiling, I usually didn't see it because it was always enchanted to show something else.

"Hermione?" A voice questioned from somewhere behind me. I started and instantly regretted the reflex.

"Hermione, you're awake!" The same voice exclaimed, I recognized it and couldn't stop the smile that lifted my sore lips.

"George?" I asked, timidly tilting my head towards the voice. I stopped mid tilt though, my head was pounding. I heard a scrape behind me, the rustle of moving cloth, and then I saw George's head leaning over me. He had a cut on his lip and a huge bruise covering the left side of his face, but he was otherwise unharmed. He was smiling slightly, not quite a full blown grin, but happy enough that I relaxed. He wouldn't be smiling even a little bit if Fred had been really hurt.

"What happened?" I asked, "Fred, Harry?"

"Fred got blasted by the wall. He was right in front of the statue when it blew so he got the full brunt of the explosion, but Angelina sent a shield charm over him before the rubble could fall on him. He's going to be alright, he's still out though. Does anything hurt? I can try and heal it if it does." He finished and took a deep breath, looking anxious.

"My head is really throbbing, I think its cut. Where's Harry and Ron?"

"Okay, I'll check it out." He said, once again ignoring my inquiry of Harry. He waved his wand over my head and my headache lessened a great deal. I sat up slowly, testing my balance and making sure I wouldn't get dizzy suddenly. I made it all the way up to a seating position and didn't feel dizzy. I was in the great Hall, sitting on the middle of a long table, the Gryffindor's to be exact. Fred was lying beside me, and Angelina was behind him, stroking his hair and murmuring something in his ear. Arms wrapped around me from behind and pulled me to the edge of the table and in to a strong chest.

"George," I said, a hint of a laugh in my voice. "I'm alright!"

"I can see that now, but I didn't think you were going to be for a while there." He said, his voice trembling. "When I saw Harry carrying your body into the Great Hall I almost passed out. I couldn't lose both you and Fred at the same time, I-" His voice broke off and he gripped me tighter. I hadn't thought about that, I had only been thinking that I needed to give them a chance to get everyone out from under the rubble.

"I'm right here love." I whispered tenderly, twisting around in George's grasp until I was facing him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and scooted closer to him, lying my head on his chest over his heart. "Nothing happened, we're both alright."

"You have got to stop getting hurt." He said, holding me tightly.

"I rarely ever get hurt." I said, rubbing his back and playing with his hair.

"You get hurt a lot."

"Do not."

"Do too. Fifth year you got hit by that bludger of a curse and didn't wake up for an entire day, you also had to stay in the hospital for a week. You got splinched after the ministry escapade, which I still feel terrible about. You were tortured by Bellatrix, and now you were hit by a wall."

"Technically I tripped over a wall." I said, leaning back and smiling up at him. I hated how serious and grave he was being. I was going to make him smile, or die trying. Okay, maybe that was a bad analogy for right now.

The corners of his lip quirked up before dropping again, apparently he was determined to be upset.

"You do realize we're going to have to find another broom closet, that one got blown up. This puts a serious wrench in our plans." I said, running my hand up his chest coyly and grinning roguishly at him. His lips quirked up again, staying up this time.

"There's that smile I love so much." I whispered softly, running my hand along his lips.

"Now that I've got you smiling again, I need you to tell me where Harry and Ron are. And don't dare try and change the subject again."

"You're not going to like it."

"Are they hurt?"

"Not when I last saw them."

"Then tell me."

"Fine." He let out a puff of air before continuing. "After we brought Fred and you back here, Harry went spacey again, he went back into Voldemort's mind. He came out of it after a minute, saying something about Nagini and Snape. He went to get him about forty minutes ago. About twenty minutes ago Voldemort addressed us. He called on a cease fight for an hour. We have that much time to bring him Harry or he'll destroy us." He was talking really fast by the end of his spill and took a deep breath. He hadn't stopped once while he spoke, and now he looked like he was worried I might blow.

"So we've lost track of Harry, and he knows that Voldemort will supposedly spare us if he turns himself in." I said quietly, hating the directions my thoughts had just gone.

"No, he won't, even he wouldn't do that." George said quickly, but he wasn't terrible convincing.

"So what are we doing right now?"

"Everyone whose still able to fight, or walk, is searching for injured people. I'd be helping but I can't leave Fred."

"I understand." I said, rubbing his arm. He shook his head looking amused.

"No, I mean I can't leave Fred. Anytime I get too far away he starts to do worse. His breathing becomes more labored and his heart rate spikes up."

"Really? That's strange, I wonder if it's because of your twin bond… Well, I can go help anyway."

"What?" He exclaimed, dropping his arms from my shoulder and stepping back, a look of complete shock on his face.

"Well, it's only natural that I should help, I feel loads better and we only have a little while to get everyone back."

"But what if he strikes within the hour? What if you get hurt by a rogue Death Eater?"

"George" I said slowly, sliding off the table and standing in front of him, "I'm not going to get hurt. I'm going to help anyone I can, we've only got forty minutes left. They're my friends, I can't just not do anything."

"You mean you can't just sit here." He said, his voice darkening. He thought I was talking about him for not being able to leave Fred.

"You're not just sitting here, you're helping heal people. We need someone to help heal everyone we bring back. Since you can't leave Fred that seems like the perfect job for you. Doesn't hurt that you're also a brilliant healer."

"Will you be careful?"

"Oh you know me," I said, waving my hand through the air. "I never cause trouble, that's your department." I gave him a hug and a quick peck on the lips before I ran towards the entrance of the Great Hall.

Neville was coming inside carrying the body of a familiar blonde, I didn't recognize her at first but I was shocked to see there were actually tears in Neville's eyes. I looked at the body closer and realized it was Hannah Abbott.

"I need some help over here!" He called, George ran towards him, lifting the limp girl in his arms and setting her on the table. He began waving his wand over her and checking her injuries.

"Where can I go look?" I asked Neville, he was leaning over Hannah, looking torn between staying and leaving.

"We've got a lot of runners for the grounds, but we need some more for the actual castle."

"Okay, which floor do I need to take?"

"The first floor could use some help.

"Great, I'll be back." I called over my shoulder, already running out the doors.

"Wait!" Neville called back, running up to me and laying a hand on my arm. "Why did Harry tell me to kill the snake?" I froze in horror, slowly turning around to face him again.

"Kill the snake?" I questioned, my voice trembling. "When did he tell you that?"

"Just a few minutes ago."

"Just listen to him, if you see the snake kill it. It's a backup plan of Voldemort's, he'll transfer to her if his body is destroyed." It wasn't exactly a lie, but not really the truth. I was more terrified by the fact that Harry had trusted this secret to someone else, did he think he wouldn't be around to finish the task himself?

No, I wouldn't think that way. I nodded my head at Neville and turned back around, racing down the corridors, deciding to start at the back of the castle and find as many people as I could. I barely got out the door before I saw Ginny half carrying, half dragging an unconscious little girl. I ran up to help her, grabbing the girls legs while Ginny took her arms.

"I don't recognize her, who is she?" I asked as we carried her towards the Great Hall.

"She's a hufflepuff in my year."

"How did she get in Hogwarts, weren't they evacuated?"

"Everyone fourteen and older came back. For some reason McGonagall actually thought that Filch and Pince would be able to keep them away from the battle." She responded, breathing hard and tugging the small girl towards the Great Hall. "They've been preparing for this fight ever since we came back to Hogwarts and they saw you weren't here. We all knew this is what it would come down to in the end, a fight between our two sides. We just wanted to help Harry. I mean, it was either fight now or get picked off later."

We had reached the Great Hall by now. Neville ran out the doors and grabbed the limp Hufflepuff's body, holding her in his arms and talking to her. The amount of care in his eyes as he looked at each of the wounded students was touching. He knew each of their names, and he used them frequently, telling them they would be alright, that he was proud of them, that they'd done brilliantly.
I ran back out to the hall, this time I came across a much more disturbing sight. A huge black dog was running towards me, a painfully familiar body draped over his massive back and another being dragged behind him. It was Sirius, and he had Remus and Tonks.

"What happened?" I asked, it came out as more of a squeak though. I reached the dog, forgetting he couldn't actually talk, in my horror. I kept drilling him with questions, checking Remus's pulse. It was weak, but it was there, he was still alive. I turned towards Tonks and felt her pulse, it was weak as well, but she was alive. I took a breath and forced myself to calm down. I stood back up, facing Sirius's muzzle.

"I'm sorry, here, let me help." I put a feather light charm on Tonks and hoisted her up before steadying Remus on Sirius's back. We ran back to the Great Hall, laying them both down on the table.

"What happened?" I asked as I hoisted Remus onto the table. Sirius changed back to a human and staggered up, leaning heavily against the table. He took a shaky breath sinking next to Remus, moving his hand to grip his side. I looked at him in surprise, his side was bleeding heavily, how had I not noticed that before?

"You're hurt, what are you doing running around!"

"I couldn't leave the two of them on the front steps, I had to get them away." He said, his voice quiet and listless.

"Here, let me help you." I said, sinking to my knees in front of him and examining the wound. This wasn't a spell wound, it was more like a cut, something sharp and deep.

"What got you?"

"It was a manticore, I think. He's go all sorts of creatures fighting for him, the Forbidden Forest has emptied. Everything that goes bump in the night was out there, the only reason we got away was because of Buckbeak." He took another deep breath and let out a hiss of pain when I pressed my wand against the wound. I murmured the healing spell and the wound closed, leaving only a faint red line to indicate he had ever even been hurt.

"Where's Harry gone? We've only got about ten minutes before the hours up."

"I don't know where he's gone." I replied, my voice quiet. Sirius's hand caught mine, stilling my movements.

"What?" he asked, his voice disbelieving. I kept my eyes lowered, not wanting him to see the tears that had gathered in them.

"Him and Ron left to get the last Horcrux, I've lost track of them, and now we can't find them." My eyes were full of tears, and they had begun to fall. I knew what Harry was doing , there wasn't a doubt in my mind that he was trying to turn himself in. He wouldn't be able to stand the thought of more people dying for him. Our only hope was that Ron could stop him.

"I saw him heading out towards the grounds about ten minutes ago. He said he had something to see too." Sirius said, his voice horrified. "I let him go, I let him leave."

"Ron!" George's voice called in shock from the other end of the hall. I looked up in surprise and saw Ron staggering into the Great Hall, helping a limping Luna into the room. Ernie was right behind him, holding Susan in his arms, and Dean was by him, helping a limping Seamus.

"Please tell me Harry's here." Ron said as he neared the table. He helped Luna onto it and then turned around, helping Ernie lay Susan on the table. Dean set Seamus down on a table and then they all turned towards me expectantly.

"You mean he's not with you?"

"No," Ron said, looking crestfallen. "We lost him a while ago. Snape's dead, Voldemort killed him."

"What?" That didn't make any sense, Voldemort considered Snape to be his most loyal servant.

"He thinks he's the master of the wand." He responded, giving me a pointed look. I was about to question him about when he'd lost Harry when I felt my Galleon buzz.

Our hour was up.