Author's Note:sorry for the long gap between updates, I had a lot on my plate. But the last chapter was about 20 pages so that should have held you guys up for a while, right? haha. anyways, without much delay, is the next chapter! Hope you enjoy!
The Missing Piece Chapter Twenty-Six
Day: 58 part IV
Hermione stared at the red-headed boy who lay unconscious on the floor. Time seemed to freeze for her, and all she could hear was the resounding "no" that echoed in her head. "No." Not him. Not Ron. Soon that "no" turned into a "why?" and she found herself asking that question. Why did he get in the way? Why couldn't she stop it? Why him? Her heart beat madly, and to Hermione, it felt as though it were lodged in her throat.
A shout from somewhere outside broke Hermione from her trance-like state.
"They're here! You have to leave!" Lucy urged them, running to the windows to check the surroundings, mumbling to herself at the same time. Hermione caught the words, "should have known," "suspicious," and "keeping me under watch."
Hermione turned around to face Draco and Harry, who had not hesitated in lifting Ron off the floor, placing one of his arms on each of their shoulders, and holding Ron up by the waist.
"The Burrow." Harry said shortly, before looking over at Draco. Both nodded to each other, and turned on their heels at the same time. Nothing happened. "Fuck." Harry spat.
"There's no time to waste, we've got to hide!" Hermione ushered them, looking frantically at Lucy for her to tell them where to hide. Lucy did not miss a beat.
"The door on your right leads to the basement. Go down there. Hide. I'll stay up here and ward them off."
Hermione gave Lucy a look that said, "Are you sure?" But Lucy wouldn't have it. She simply shook her head. "GO!"
The noise outside greatly increased. There were shouts coming from all angles, which only meant that they were all surrounded. Heavy footsteps could be heard, as well as the muffled crack of anti-escaping spells. Hermione ran to the wooden door and yanked it open, allowing Draco, Ron and Harry to enter first, closing it once everyone was past. Draco and Harry began to drag Ron a couple steps, and Hermione picked up Ron's feet in order to go faster. They reached another door, which Hermione assumed led to the basement. She quickly opened it, and looked around immediately for a place to hide. It was a large basement, filled with large boxes and jars, books, and old furniture. There were definitely many choices.
"No, don't go back there." Hermione whispered, upon realizing that Harry and Draco were dragging Ron all the way to the far corner of the basement, behind a stack of boxes.
"Hermione, it works. It's far away." Harry replied.
"That's exactly why itdoesn't work. That's the first place they'll check. Hide by the door, and it would make for easy escape."
She began moving toward a large stack of boxes that were stored by the door of the basement. The boxes were arranged in a fort-like fashion, so it served their purpose well. She quickly got behind it, and a few seconds later, she was joined by Draco, and Harry, who were trying to arrange Ron in a position where he wasn't seen, and was easily mobile in case they needed to make a hasty escape.
Now all that was left to do was wait. Hermione tried to judge how many Death Eaters were there by the sounds of the footsteps, but it was hard to tell. She thought Draco might have been doing the same thing, because she could read numbers being mouthed from his lips.
They heard a large bang come from above their heads, and all three conscious bodies flinched involuntarily. A male voice was heard, speaking in a harsh, accusatory tone, but Hermione couldn't make out the words. It all sounded mumbled. A female voice replied, in a calm manner: Lucy. A stab of shock surged through Hermione's body. What if she gave them away? What if she really wasn't to be trusted? A different male voice replied, followed by the creaking of wood which meant someone was walking upstairs. It did no good for Hermione to look up to the ceiling at that moment, but to see where the noises came from comforted her. A creaking sound came from her right. Someone had shifted their weight? Heavy footsteps from the left came stalking ever closer to the right, toward whoever shifted their weight. A female voice, Lucy, spoke, coming from the right. If she remembered correctly, the door to the basement should be right behind Lucy. A threatening voice emanated from the left. Silence. Then, Hermione heard the two footsteps move simultaneously together in a crescent shape. Hermione imagined Lucy and the intruder in a defensive position, wands out, about to fight. A loud crash resounded from above, followed by a couple more. The sound of a window crashing could be heard, as well as the throwing of furniture. Everything came one after the other. Hermione looked to Draco and Harry who were positioned on either side of her, too see the anxious looks on their faces. She looked back to the ceiling.
There was a loud, earsplitting scream, followed by a loud, heavy thud on the center of the ceiling. The scream was female. Lucy.
There was silence for several seconds. Then a command was heard. Several footsteps could be heard entering the premises. There had been more waiting outside. All Hermione could picture was Lucy, limp and bloody on the floor. Something touched Hermione's hand. Draco. She willed her face to turn to his, only to see his eyes, soft and comforting. She nodded out of appreciation, too scared and unable to speak, and continued looking back up to the ceiling.
Hermione counted about seven sets of footsteps walking above them toward the basement door. Her heart pounded madly, and she could hear the blood rushing through her ears. She heard the creaking of a door, and footsteps, which now sounded as though they were coming through the walls, ever so closer to the second door. Closer and closer they came. Hermione squeezed her eyes shut, and opened them again. The footsteps were almost to the bottom of the stairs. Thump. Thump. Thump. Neither Draco, Harry, nor Hermione dared breathe. Thump. Thump. Thump.
Then they stopped.
They were here.
There came an ensuing silence. No one dared make a sound.
Hermione could hear a rusty knob to her right being slowly turned, followed by a soft creak. The door was open. The Death Eaters were so close to their hiding spot. Hermione tried to make herself smaller by shrinking her shoulders, in order to avoid being seen behind their fort of boxes. She saw Harry and Draco do the same from her peripheral vision.
"We know you're here…" A male voice said. The same male voice that could be heard from upstairs.
Hermione held her breath.
"I'll give you a chance to come out of your little hiding spot as the brave souls you are, yeah?" The same male spoke. "This isn't a child's game of hide-and-go-seek, little ones. Come out, and we'll take you peacefully." The male waited a few seconds before continuing on. "You're probably wondering how we found you? Let's just say your friend Lucy wasn't the most convincing actress. Though she does a pretty fine job at playing dead."
Anger boiled and seethed within Hermione. She snapped her eyes shut, breathing out as softly as she could. She turned slowly to check on Harry, who would be the most likely out of all of them to jump out and act on anger. His eyes were closed, concentrating.
"I don't think they're-" A female voice said, but he was quickly shushed by another.
"Over there. Check that far corner." The male commanded, and his order was quickly followed by a set of footsteps, walking away from them and toward a far corner.
Hermione couldn't stand it any longer. She had to see where they were exactly, if they were to have a chance of escaping. She stretched her head a few inches, and used her legs to gain a few extra inches in order to get a peek over a box in front of her.
They all had their wands out, ready to strike. A blonde-haired male was checking the far right corner of boxes. Three dark haired males stood in the middle, surveying. A single red-headed female looked off to the sides, but not far back enough to see Hermione's hiding spot. One of the males in the center of the room scratched their beard.
"Search over there," He said, patting the man next to him, and pointing to the left corner of the room. The man did as the other asked.
"They're not over here, Crowley." The blonde man said. He was the first to be ordered to search a corner.
Hermione felt their chance to escape approaching. They had to be ready. She gripped her wand, and mouthed a quick "be ready" to Draco and Harry, who shifted their positions so that they could grasp Ron with ease and escape.
"Keep looking." The male, Crowley, said. He appeared to be the boss from what Hermione could tell.
Draco looked to his right.
"We're close to the door. If I can have them moving in the opposite direction, it can buy you time to get out." He said, pulling out his wand. Before Hermione or Harry could reply, Draco muttered under his breath, "wingardium leviosa" and made a small broom, which leant against a box on the far left corner lift up and to the right so quickly, it seemed as if someone had moved it with their hands.
"There!" Three Death Eaters screamed simultaneously, and charged toward the broom with their wands out and their moves aggressive.
Now was their chance. Hermione motioned for Harry and Draco to go first, because they were the slowest due to Ron, and least able to defend themselves. She followed behind, wand out, pointed at her targets. They made their way to the door as quickly and quietly as they could, step by step. Harry and Draco were at the door. Hermione could feel her heart hammering. They were going to make it out of this. Draco or Harry—Hermione did not see which—pushed open the door.
Creak.
All of the Death Eaters simultaneously turned around, wands at the ready.
"GET THEM!" Crowley screamed.
Hermione's heart caught in her throat. They were outnumbered in many ways, but she still believed they had a fighting chance. It wasn't over yet.
"Go! Get Ron away! I'll hold them back!" Hermione screamed as she ran with Draco and Harry up the stairs.
"I'm not leaving you, Hermione!" Draco replied, letting go of Ron, and allowing Harry to carry all of Ron's weight. Harry heaved a loud groan but did not complain.
"I got it, Hermione, let him just buy me time and cover me!" Harry shouted, already making his way up the steps.
She didn't reply, nor think about anything but her attackers, and how to bring them down. She and Draco began to climb the steps backwards, slow, throwing spells and hexes every chance they got. Immediately, Hermione felt the odds against them. It was five to two, and Hermione felt herself being quickly exhausted from blocking all five hexes aimed at the both of them.
Grunts and screams could be heard from Draco as he sent each curse, which told Hermione that he knew they didn't have much chance either. Draco rarely showed his feelings while dueling.
A red spark flew and grazed the side of Draco's head. He ducked it just in time, but turned to see where it went for one split second, out of reflex. Hermione guessed it took him by surprise. That split second, however, turned out to be an opportunity for their attackers, because the next thing anyone knew, Draco was on the ground, frozen, a look of utter shock and defeat on his graceful face.
He got hit with a body-bind curse, that's why she didn't blame him. But she knew full well he'd blame himself.
It was her fault, not his when that spell hit her.
Her attackers took the opportunity. She froze, starring at Draco's face, as if he had died. Because now that Draco was down, that made her defeat more certain. Together, they stood a fraction of a chance. Alone, she didn't have a prayer. She lost it.
But she didn't blame him when it knocked the wind out of her, making her fall back into pitch darkness.
A/N: hope you all liked it so far! I'll get the next chapter moving along, I promise you won't have to wait as long! Please please leave a review! I love everything you guys are saying so far, don't stop!