Disclaimer: I'm just a toddler in the JKRowling's sandbox, nothing more than that.
...
-Filler-
"Who are you?" Draco asked, just before he lost control of his body.
His mind tried to fight it, but was overpowered by a searing pain and a voice that told him to comply before the pain became worse. It was the Imperius Curse.
It would feel better if you complied, the voice told him. And he knew better than to trust the voice, but it hurt so much. Then the voice promised him, it would bring him to them and he need not worry. All of his instincts and rational thoughts told him not to listen, to trust the voice, but the pain intensified whenever he even considered anything other than what the voice had told him.
He didn't even question anything anymore. His burning questions were put out by the even more intense pain.
x
The army of Death Eaters stopped suddenly; they were within striking distance, and the fighters of the Light became paranoid. Why did they stop?
While Hermione perused the reasons, Draco stumbled out of the forest. Her concentration was broken. She called out to him, "Draco! What are you doing here?" But she didn't really care. She was just so happy to see him again. This time she would convince him to stay no matter what. She would bound and gag him if it came to it.
He paid her no attention.
It was like watching a silent movie. Everything was contrast in black and white. And try as she might, she couldn't hear anything.
She could see his footsteps sloshing in the diluted magical solution but still no sound reached her ears. He lifted his wand and she saw his mouth move. Still no sound. But Harry must've heard what Draco said because he turned around, shocked. She saw a green light creep from Draco's wands, but that was impossible. Silent movies never had colors. It was always just black and white.
And then once more, sound and colors overflowed her senses and she screamed. Her own scream shook her from her stupor. She could hear again. So she screamed again. And again. And again.
"What are you doing Draco? NO, no, no… what have you done? Draco!"
She never stopped screaming as she saw another green flash. And then another. Two bodies, seemingly sleeping, but she knew better.
They were dead.
The same hooded figure that approached Draco in the forest approached Hermione. He took off his mask.
Zabini. Laughing. As if it were a joke to him.
Harry had died and so had Draco. And he was laughing?
Another hooded figure strode out from the Forbidden Forest. "Well done, Zabini. It's a pity that I did not have the honor or killing Harry Potter myself, but I have learned from my past mistakes. And a pity the young Malfoy had to die as well. But, if you are not with me, you are against me." He too started laughing.
It was Voldemort. "Tell the others to go forward once more. The deed is done!"
x
She couldn't recall what Professor McGonagall screamed at her once McGonagall realized what was going on. She couldn't recall how the aurors got there or how many of them there were. She didn't feel Ron's hands around her. She couldn't even tell you where Ron was dragging her as he whispered what she supposed were comforting words in her ears.
And finally, she couldn't tell you why she was in the Headmaster's Office with Ron by her side, explaining what had happened with Harry and Draco to Dumbledore.
But she could recall that the moment Harry fell, the side of the Light lost its will to fight. To hope. And when Draco fell… she lost her will to live. So instead she sat. She was so confused. She was so dirty from the mud brought up by people's feet running. From the muddling of her mind. By bodies falling. By rocks exploding. What did Draco do? What did he do… why did he do it? She couldn't believe what she had seen with her own eyes. Dirty eyes, too. Dirtied by the sight.
"What are you going to do now?" Ron begged the old man to tell him. With the loss of his friend, Ron was going crazy and pacing across the room.
"I cannot do anything, Mister Weasley."
This stopped Ron in his tracks, "What do you mean?" He eyed his Headmaster.
"I simply cannot do anything for you, Mister Weasley. I must concentrate on keeping the shields up in my study." He looked out the single window of the room towards the Forbidden Forest.
The thinned ring of trees was all the death eaters had to get through before they reached the aurors.
"I'm sorry…" He closed his eyes. The last of the trees were gone. The Forbidden Forest was no more.
A deep rumbling shook the castle, children's screaming filled the walls. An explosion was heard outside of his door. It jolted Hermione, she became hysterical, so very unlike the calm and cool exterior of before in the face of adversity.
But that was before she found and then lost her oasis, one she didn't even know was there until it was lost, dried up and left her a shell.
She screamed at him, all politeness gone, "YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING! IT'S YOUR JOB. YOU TOLD HARRY TO DO IT. AND HE DIED. DRACO KILLED HARRY. AND THEN DRACO DIED. NOW IT'S YOUR TURN! JUST... DO SOMETHING!"
She cried terribly. And Dumbledore couldn't do anything to comfort her. In fact, he was the cause of it.
So she stayed there crying, screaming, "It wasn't supposed to happen like this! It wasn't! WHY DID HE DO IT? Mark said that it would be better if I stayed. I STAYED. Why is this happening? Why did they die!"
Dumbledore's face drained of the little color it had left, "Miss Granger, who is this Mark?"
She just cried harder. The calming spell he hit her with, had little effect, but it got her to start talking.
"I don't know," she sobbed, "I don't know… he came to me just before… before Draco killed Harry and they both died. He told me that I had to stay if I wanted to save my friends. He told me. He lied to me. I shouldn't have trusted him. But it felt so right to trust him. I don't understand anymore. No no no… no…"
But Dumbledore understood. He understood what was wrong. He wondered how he hadn't realized it earlier. It was the prophecy. He was so very wrong. He shouldn't have tried to shield them from their futures. He shouldn't have kept them in the dark. He should have told them the entire truth about their prophecy together. His plans and ideas. They were not children anymore. But he tried so hard for them to keep their innocence that his protection was what ripped their purity away.
"I'm so very sorry, Miss Granger, I was wrong…"
"What's going on, Headmaster? What are you wrong about? Tell me!" Ron couldn't stay kept in the dark much longer.
Before he could answer, another explosion sounded, this time closer than the first.
Dumbledore turned to Hermione and told her to listen carefully. "My dear, I have been keeping something of great importance from you and it is time you hear it. There was a prophecy."
Hermione's ears perked up at the word, she had remembered the prophecy between Harry and Voldemort.
"The prophecy you see, concerned you and Mister Malfoy… the late Mister Malfoy. Now, you must focus, Miss Granger. I have time only to repeat this once.
"Light has but one chance.
A girl. A warrior. A fallen.
The key to the end
But for which side?
"Born into Dark's womb,
Coerced into Light's embrace.
A boy. A traitor. A savior.
Her One to befriend
But how can she?
"An earthen girl from a mark which lies,
An untainted boy from Earth's riches.
A strife. A friendship. A choice.
Together they'll mend
But when will they?
"A stitch in time saves nine,
Change the future through the past.
A will. A way. A need.
A love without pretend
But can they fix it?
That is the prophecy in its entirety. Do you remember it, Miss Granger? Have you memorized it?"
"Yes..." Once was all she needed remembering something of that importance. And the way Dumbledore spoke ingrained it further into her mind.
"You must believe me, Miss Granger. I acted with all of your best interests at heart. It is my deep hope that you forgive me... but it is with deeper hope that you figure out this prophecy. And fix whatever stands in the way of a future for the wizarding world. I believe you can do it. Mister Weasley, these are my last words on the matter, please take Miss Granger and protect her. Whatever you do, protect her. It is our last hope…"
He quickly threw a familiar powder into the fireplace before either could respond, and shoved the two through without any formalities. The last thing they saw was Dumbledore's office stormed by two Death Eaters, one unrecognizable, the other not. Zabini. And a third figure, Voldemort.
Anger coursed through her veins.
And then, they found themselves stumbling out of a fireplace. Out of Hogwarts.
…
Ending soon…