27. Hermione's Parting
The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff dining tables in the Great Hall were slowly shrinking. The Gryffindor table however, seemed to be growing longer by the day. It now extended to almost half the length it was when the school had its full intake, nearly doubling in size since the beginning of the school year. Mealtimes had become a meeting place – a time to discuss anything that related to student welfare and safety along with outside happenings that threatened their world as a whole. It seemed the Gryffindor table was 'the' place to be if you wanted to know the latest happenings.
The students that belonged to the ever-increasing DA gathered at the back end of the table, while those left (mostly the younger Gryffindor students and their friends) took up the front half. Amongst the mix of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, was the odd Slytherin as well as most of the new unassigned first years who ever since the discovery of the tunnel beneath Hogwarts had developed the strategy of schooling together and hovering on the fringes of the largest crowds.
Sunday morning breakfasts were casual affairs, with students wafting in at their leisure, taking advantage of the extra hours service, and drifting off again to make the most of the free day before another week started.
Today the torches were all lit, spilling their yellowy light into the shadowed corners of the Hall as a storm raged outside. Almost black clouds brimming with violet, billowed in the magical ceiling, while outside they loomed over the castle and its surrounds, smothering sunlight and blanketing the Hall's windows so that it could have been dusk if not for the toasts and cereals lining the tables. The thunder that rolled across the ancient stonework shook the panes and hummed through the tables, making cutlery tinkle and liquids shimmy.
Harry sat staring at two runny poached eggs that trembled jelly-like on his plate.
"You look positively green." Hermione scolded over the lingering rumble.
Harry'd already explained up in the common room to a concerned Hermione before coming down why he was not really feeling like breakfast. At his tale of drinking half a bottle of firewhiskey with a sottish Slytherin, she had dropped the worried frown, snorted unkindly and shuffled him out the portrait hole ahead of her. Harry had thought this a bit harsh, as he'd stumbled down the stairways and corridors dreaming longingly of crawling back into bed. When she had slid the plate containing two poached eggs in front of him just after he had sat down, Harry suspected that Hermione's sadistic streak new no bounds in the punishment of the previously pinko'ed, since it appeared she was actually trying to make him vomit.
"You could've come and got me last night." Ron said sulkily. Reaching over he lifted a platter of grilled tomatoes to his plate, taking three halves off and then setting it back down again. "Best mates, Harry. We're supposed to do that sort of thing together. Can't believe you'd go down into the dungeons alone to get stonkered with Malfoy. It should've been me."
"Honestly." Hermione tisked disapprovingly at Ron.
Harry pushed his plate away and looked up miserably. "I didn't go down there to drink. It just sort of… happened."
Hermione turned her nose up slightly. "If you're careless enough to get yourself into this state then you deserve to suffer if you ask me."
Harry frowned at her in annoyance as she swirled honey over her steaming porridge. He was ready to admit that it was his own fault that his brain felt like it had turned into lead overnight, but he suspected her total lack of sympathy was for Ron's benefit more than his own. Maybe he would have to re-think the whole 'fringe benefits' thing.
"That's not very sympathetic." Ron said sullenly, tipping bacon onto his plate enough for three people.
"I give sympathy where it's deserved." Hermione said snootily. "I suppose you think it was funny."
"If I'd been there it would've been." Ron replied grimly. Looking at Harry he continued. "Malfoy could've been planning to get you drunk, Harry. Maybe he's hexed you and you can't remember it. Maybe it's got a delayed effect and sometime later on today your nose will fall off." Ron's eyes grew large as a thought occurred to him. He shoved the bacon dish onto the table distractedly, knocking over the salt and peppershakers. "Maybe he slipped you a potion in your drink and that's why you look so green. Maybe you'll go blue next because you can't breathe–"
"We drank from the same bottle Ron." Harry said calmly.
"Oh." Ron relaxed and stuffed a chunk of tomato in his mouth.
"Harry…"
Harry cocked his head at Hermione's warning tone wearily, expecting further disapproving comments, but when his gaze met hers she was glaring at him, her spoon frozen in mid-scoop. She glanced meaningfully in the direction of the front of the Hall so Harry followed her gaze. His eyebrows shot up in pleasant surprise.
Easing into a chair at the teacher's table, in between Hagrid (who was also just settling himself and when did he get back?) and Professor Flitwick, was Julie.
Harry's eyebrows lowered again almost immediately when he remembered Malfoy's reaction to the potion. His brow furrowed together as he reached into his jacket pocket and drew out the potion he hadn't bothered removing last night.
"Hermione? What's danomdipartite?" He asked cautiously. He hadn't told either of his friends what Malfoy had said about the potion because he didn't really know if he could take the Slytherin's word for it. After all, Julie had performed amazing healing on Harry's wounds after his run-in with Greyback. Why heal someone you're only interested in poisoning?
Hermione, who had been shooting furtive glances at Ron, just waiting for him to notice Julie, creased her brow thoughtfully for a moment before answering. "I don't know. Can't say as I've ever heard of it. Why?"
Harry leaned forward and held out the dark purple potion for Hermione to take. She frowned, set her spoon down and took the bottle from him.
"That's the tonic I've been taking that Julie gave me." Harry said. "I offered it to Malfoy last night because he looks so ill, but he gave it back to me. He said it contained danomdipartite and that he wouldn't take it because he liked breathing too much."
Hermione's eyes grew wide and Ron's fork clattered against his plate loudly where it had dropped.
"Whu?" Ron muffled out through egg and toast.
Harry shrugged in an effort to look like he wasn't that bothered. "He could be wrong. I can't imagine Julie trying to poison me slowly when she's had ample opportunity to do away with me at her place. And anyway," He continued casually. "If you've never heard of that stuff Hermione, then Malfoy's probably got it wrong. Maybe he was just trying to scare me?"
Hermione gave Harry a withered look. "Contrary to popular belief, I do not know everything. And as far as potions go, Malfoy's had enough help over the years as Snape's pet to know what he's talking about. Probably." She added. "Just because I haven't heard of it doesn't make it not real. It could be a substance only used in dark magic. There must be loads of ingredients used in all sorts of potions that aren't in the books we have here. I mean, look at Horcruxes. I couldn't find that in the libr–" She stopped suddenly and narrowed her eyes at the dark liquid. "…brary." She finished quietly, turning the crystal bottle around in her hand thoughtfully.
"What?" Harry asked.
"Mmm?"
"C'mon Hermione." Ron said, slightly irritated. "You always do this! You can't just leave us hanging when you've got something."
"Oh, its nothing really." She said distractedly, still eyeing the bottle. "I recently acquired some reading material that might help."
"Where from?" Ron asked interestedly. "I thought you said you didn't get out much over the holidays?"
"What?" Hermione finally dragged her gaze from the potion. "Oh… No. Well I didn't. Sir gave me some extra reading material." She frowned again and leaned across to Harry. "I'll see if I can find anything but in the meantime, I can give this to Meredith from the DA if you like? She helps Ginny with her Potions homework. Her parents apparently design a number of the potions they sell in their apothecaries, and she works in the labs with them over the holidays so she must be fairly knowledgeable." She slipped the bottle into her jacket pocket. "I really think it's worth checking it out. The meaning of the name alone makes me–"
"What the bloody hell is she doing here?"
Harry swung his head to follow Ron's threatening gaze and realized with a sinking feeling what his best friend was glaring at. Hermione sighed wearily as Harry brought his gaze back to meet Ron's. This was why Hermione was so anxious about Julie's presence. Ron may have forgiven Harry once they had escaped Voldemort, not surprising after what they had been through together, but he had no reason at all to make friendly with Julie.
"I have no idea." Harry replied dully.
"Maybe you can ask her." Hermione said casually, lifting a spoonful of porridge to her mouth. "She's on her way over right now."
"What?" Ron's head spun back to the direction of the teacher's table and sure enough, Julie was coasting up the aisle between the tables, heading straight for Harry. Ron narrowed his eyes and Harry slunk further down in his seat. All he needed now was for Ginny to come along to complete this increasingly gloomy morning. A low gurgle of thunder tumbled overhead ominously as Julie stopped beside Harry, flashing all three of them a bright smile.
"Harry. How are you?" She took in his greenish pallor, knitting her eyebrows together as Harry fumbled with words.
"Er… um, good. I'm Well. Um… How are you?"
"You don't look well." Julie raised an eyebrow dubiously. She glanced at his plate of untouched eggs. "Not eating again, I see?" She rested her hand on his shoulder, gently squeezing it. "How long have you been feeling ill again?"
"Er… its nothing. Really." Harry cringed inwardly. "Its just this morning and… I'm feeling better than I did when I woke up."
"Hello."
Oh no.
Harry closed his eyes briefly at the sound of Ginny's voice.
This day, it seemed, could only get worse.
He turned reluctantly to face his girlfriend who was standing behind him.
Julie removed her hand.
Ron and Hermione watched on in awed anticipation.
"Ginny." He reached out his hand to her in a gesture he had performed many times and was mildly surprised when she smiled dreamily down at it and chuckled, placing her own hand in his tentatively, yet enthusiastically. He squeezed it gently in a reassuring way but it seemed he needn't have worried. She sat herself down demurely next to Harry, grinning at their joined hands.
Mrs. Weasley, who had entered the Hall with McGonagall, patted the Headmistress' arm in farewell and headed for Julie.
"Well now." She said, smiling kindly at Julie. "Minerva tells me you will be taking Potions for the rest of the year Julie?"
"What?" Harry choked out.
Hermione made a strangled noise in her throat and Ron dropped his fork again.
"Yes. That's right." Julie said pleasantly. "And I'll be teaching Healing charms in the Great Hall when time allows."
"A good thing too. Minerva knows what she's doing. Best to have even children trained these days." Mrs. Weasley then gave Ron and Ginny a pointed stare. "Both of you pay close attention to what Miss Pathet has to say. There's few better when it comes to healing charms." She motioned loosely with her hand. "These two are mine. You let me know if they give you any trouble. Ginny's my youngest, and that there's–"
"We've met." Ron cut in icily, glaring at Julie.
"Yes, we have." Julie agreed with a smile. Mrs Weasley looked surprised at Ron's obvious dislike. "Well, don't let me keep you. Have a nice breakfast Molly. Harry?" Harry rubbed Ginny's hand with his thumb before releasing it and reluctantly meeting Julie's gaze. "I would like you to stop by the potions classroom later. I'll be working in there most of the day. Anytime that's convenient for you will be fine."
"What for?" Harry asked before he could stop himself.
She had turned to leave and hesitated at his words. "Oh. Our business is of a somewhat … personal nature."
Harry's stomach fell through the floor. It was almost as if he could feel the soil piling up around him as Julie dug his hole. He nodded nervously, ready to agree to anything so that Julie would stop talking and leave. He watched as she finally walked away, and then hazarded a look at Ginny.
His fiery girlfriend was busy arranging her scrambled eggs on her plate in the form of a face, with two huge grilled tomato-halves as eyes, a small chipolata sausage for a nose, and a crispy curved bacon strip as its smiling mouth. When it was all in place she cocked her head to admire her handy work.
"Um … Ginny?" Harry asked hesitantly. She didn't look up immediately, just took out her wand and pointed it at the plate. Harry, Ron and Hermione all flinched expecting the food to blow up or incinerate or worse. Instead the breakfast face started chuckling. She smiled dreamily back at it and then she seemed to pick up on Harry watching her and raised her eyebrows expectantly in his direction.
"What are you doing?"
"I felt like happy food this morning." She smiled easily as if it was the most natural thing in the world to say. "Storms can be so dreary, don't you think?"
Her breakfast chuckled again and Harry couldn't stop the broad grin that crossed his face or the small laugh that escaped his lips as relief surged through him. He completely forgot that Mrs Weasley was there and leant sideways and plucked a soft lingering kiss from her lips. Ginny stayed with her lips puckered and her eyes closed for a long moment, even after Harry pulled back, as if savouring it for all it was worth. When she opened her eyes and looked straight into Harry's enquiring gaze she giggled shyly and then picked up her cutlery and stabbed one of the tomato eyes on her plate. She popped it into her mouth and chewed it with a large dopey grin on her face.
Harry smiled and chuckled softly to himself and grabbed a piece of toast from the rack, suitably relieved that Ginny seemed completely uncaring at the turn of events and feeling rather smug about Ginny's reaction to his kiss.
Hermione had watched all of this with narrowed eyes.
"Pansy! Can I walk with you?"
Pansy was on the third floor near the transfiguration classrooms, mid-way through her rounds when Harry had finally spotted her after leaving the Great Hall. She eyed him suspiciously as he caught up with her, but didn't say anything, only continued along the passageway, her eyes darting this way and that, occasionally lifting the corner of a tapestry or poking a suit of armour with her wand to check that it sounded hollow. Harry walked beside her, watching her and thinking that she was indeed very thorough in her duties.
She stopped suddenly and turned her attention on Harry, her lips pouted and an eyebrow raised challengingly.
"It was that stupid elf, wasn't it?" She crossed her arms defiantly. Harry raised both eyebrows, caught off guard by her question. "It told you even after I gave it orders not to!"
"I made Dobby tell me." Harry said finally. "And if you seek any sort of retribution on him you'll have me to deal with. Is that clear?" He asked warningly.
She sniffed, tilting her head and looking down her stubby little nose at him. "I have no intentions of punishing him. He'll take care of that all by himself. Lucius Malfoy had him exceedingly well trained."
"It's a wonder Dobby feels any sympathy for people like you." Harry frowned. "After the way your lot treated him he should have been happy to leave Malfoy to his fate."
"It just goes to show then, doesn't it?" Pansy said lightly. "Perhaps you don't know as much as you think you do."
"What is there to know? Oh. Don't tell me." Harry said sarcastically. "Draco deserves Dobby's sympathy because he was always so kind to the house elf, right?"
"Hardly." She replied. "Draco learned from the best after all. No. He was never kind. That creature and others like it are not worth the effort of kindness. Most of them wouldn't appreciate it anyway. So why waste your time?"
"That's just wrong on so many levels. You're lucky Hermione isn't around to hear you say that."
"Like I care what that muggle thinks."
"She's a witch, just like you."
Pansy balled her fists up. "She's nothing like me – or any of the other pure-blooded witches in this school. She's never had to choose sides. She doesn't have to worry when she returns home that her own family might be the enemy. She won't be looking over her shoulder and wondering if her parents are looking at her like that because they suspect she's not willing to take the Mark when she graduates. She won't be lying awake at night waiting for the bedroom door to swing open with her father or brother or worse standing there in a Death Eater mask because someone has fingered you as a risk." She was bordering on hysterical as her eyes glistened with moisture.
Harry couldn't think of anything to say. Stung by her words he just stared at her as she continued.
"You 'precious ones' think everything is black and white – good and evil – and nothing in-between. Well Slytherins know better. You think we don't notice that people sneer at us just because we wear Silver and Green?" Pansy said bitterly. "Is it any wonder that we don't play nicely with the other children? We're forced to make choices on our own because nobody but Professor Snape ever looked out for us!"
"But M-Malfoy took the mark willingly." Harry stumbled awkwardly. "He was proud of it ... Pleased even ... I heard him on the train..."
"You heard him bragging to his peers, Potter! Just maybe that ridiculous little elf knows Draco a little better than you! Ask yourself why a crazy little elf like that would care about what happens to him. And while you're at it, ask yourself why Draco took the Mark so young, why don't you? But maybe you don't want to know that much about him. Maybe its easier to keep him labelled with the tag you were so quick to slap on him in the beginning." She huffed and jutted an accusing finger at him. "I would have thought you'd have learned something about him last night."
She saw the surprise on Harry's face and dropped her shoulders exasberatedly.
"Oh of course I know about it. He didn't tell me what went on but he said you didn't fight." She let out a weary breath and lowered her gaze. " I thought maybe that would've helped you to see. Helped you to realize."
Harry worked his jaw, feeling decidedly uncomfortable. Being put in your place by Pansy Parkinson was not an experience he ever thought he'd suffer. Not knowing how to respond he decided to go on the offensive.
"How long have you known he's here?"
Pansy rolled her eyes. "Not long. But long enough."
"And yet you didn't bother to inform the DA–"
"I couldn't care less about your little vigilante group, to be honest."
Harry faltered. "Huh?"
"I'm only there so I know what's going on – that's all."
"But… you're here… checking the passageways."
"Because my darling Draco needs me to." Pansy said smoothly. "You didn't really think I was doing it for you?"
"I thought … for the DA. For all of the students." Harry said, mildly disgusted.
"No." She said simply. "Only for Draco. He needs me to keep an eye on things while he's… indisposed."
"You know, you're not helping your case for Slytherins here. You do realize how bloody selfish that sounds! Why the hell would I trust people like you when you've got that sort of attitude?"
"You know, Draco's been close to killing you more times than you can imagine."
Harry's breath hitched at the careless ease with which Pansy spoke.
"But he's never actually done it, has he? Not once in the whole time he's been here has he even attacked you. He could have. Loads of times. When you were down by the lake all by your lonesome and he was standing right behind you and there was no one to see. Even then, he didn't do anything.
"My Draco is not the enemy underfoot you should be focusing on." She added snootily, not meeting his eye.
Harry's nose crinkled in question. "What d'you mean?"
Pansy sighed dramatically. "I'm not going to stick my neck out for you, Potter."
"You're in the DA Pansy." Harry pointed out. "It's not like you can hide that for long. Not now we have so many members."
"I'm not trying to hide it." She said indignantly, placing her hands on her hips. "I'm in the perfect position to spy right where I am."
Harry scoffed. "For who?"
"For either side. It's perfect." She shrugged. "It was Draco's idea, after all."
"What?" Harry blurted.
"Oh don't get your wand in a knot!" She said dramatically. "I'm notactually spying on you, it just looks that way. It'd be pretty thick to tell you about it otherwise, don't you think? No. This way I can be alerted to any unexpected visitors to Hogwarts and keep an eye on Bl..." Her straying eyes flashed with fear and she stopped herself sharply.
"Who? Who are you keeping–"
"Blaise!" Pansy interrupted Harry loudly, peering over his shoulder. Harry turned to see Blaise strolling up behind him.
"Pansy." Blaise said smoothly, coming to a stop. "What are you doing here still? You're going to be late for our study session if you don't get a move on." His eyes darted between the two of them in suspicion, narrowing ever so slightly.
"Oh do drag me away from this boorish Gryffindor, Blaise." Pansy sighed exaggeratedly, all traces of uncertainty gone. "Its not enough that I'm doing my share, he has to come up and start criticizing how I do it!"
"I did not–"
"Come on, darling." Pansy cut Harry's indignant denial off, grabbing Blaise's arm and tugging him along with her. "I get no appreciation, Blaise. No love." She pulled Blaise up the corridor leaving Harry staring after them in bewilderment.
Ron accosted Harry just outside the common room as he was on his way back. Ron was carrying his winter cloak over one arm and was out of breath and mildly panicky.
"Harry. We have to go. Now." He said, grabbing Harry's arm.
"What's happened?" Harry asked quickly as he allowed Ron to lead him speedily down the stairs.
"Hermione's gone to meet him. To call it all off." He panted. "You promised we'd follow her. I don't trust him Harry."
Realizing Ron was talking about Hermione and Zach he said. "Oh." And then added. "Don't you think you're over reacting a bit?" Just then he was shoved unceremoniously into the second floor shortcut to the main stairs by a pushy Ron. "I mean Hermione's handled him pretty well so far."
"Ginny said he wouldn't let Hermione do it by owl. Kept insisting she meet him. Why?" He asked forcefully. " Why would he want to meet with her if he was going to take this well?"
They came out at the top of the marble staircase on the first floor. Harry stumbled forward as Ron nudged him out of the hidden recess. A clap of thunder crashed overhead, echoing loudly through the high ceilinged Hall.
"Well, it is a bit impersonal … isn't it?" Harry offered calmly. "Owl, I mean. Its not exactly a 'sensitive' way to break-up, is it?"
"Harry. If it was no big deal why didn't she tell us she was going?" Ron threw Harry's coat at him and started down the stairs to the Entrance Hall talking over his shoulder. "She's too bloody proud. That's her trouble!"
Harry pulled his coat awkwardy over his shoulders as he followed.
The sky outside was deep shades of grey and purple, and hard heavy rain lashed at Harry as he closed the huge entrance door behind him. The rain did not seem to slow Ron down in the slightest however. He was racing across the grounds to the gate as if pursued by a dragon. He was already muttering the password and flicking his wand at the chains that bound the gate by the time Harry joined him.
"Where are we going?" Harry asked as they slipped through and relocked the entrance.
"The Three Broomsticks. Ginny said ... that's where she's meeting him." Ron answered breathlessly and then he disappeared with a pop. Harry sighed and followed.
He arrived outside the pub just in time to see Ron disappear inside it. Harry opened the door and entered the familiar cosy warmth already uncomfortably wet from his brief time in the rain.
Before he knew what was happening he was enveloped by a blast of hot wind that gushed and blustered all around him, taking his breath away. It stopped after only few seconds and Harry looked about him in confusion. A wrinkly old wizard dressed in shabby khaki robes sat in a padded chintz armchair near the door holding his wand in hand, pointing it at Harry. A crooked, toothless smile slanted his face as he looked at Harry's cloak.
Harry looked down and patted himself and realized he was bone dry.
The old wizard wheezed a cackle at his surprise. Harry began searching his pockets, hoping that he had some money stashed somewhere, but the wizard shook his head and poked his thumb in the direction of Madame Rosmerta.
"Taken care of, lad." He rasped. Harry nodded and thanked him and began his search for Hermione and Zach.
He spotted Ron unsuccessfully trying to 'covertly' work his way around the room. The boy knocked someone's drink all down it's owner and trod on more than one foot in his 'stealthy' efforts of trying not to bring attention to himself. Harry turned away to hide his smirk.
The pub was almost full as it was near lunchtime, and Sunday lunches were always a big draw because of Happy Hour. When Harry and Ron finally stopped, neither had seen any sign of Hermione or Zach.
"I'll ask Rosmerta." Ron said with a worried frown. Harry nodded and Ron went up to the bar, leant over it and spoke to the innkeeper. She smiled broadly at him when she saw Ron and then nodded her head and pointed to an empty two-seater corner table. Then she shook her head and motioned to the door. Ron turned quickly and made his way back to Harry.
"They've left." He said, looking paler than usual. "They walked off without apparating."
Harry frowned. "Where would they go in this weather?"
"You tell me." Ron replied, the worry etched on his face. Harry gripped his arm gently.
"We'll find her. Don't worry. C'mon." Harry led Ron back to the door. "Hang on." He pulled up short and turned to face Ron. Digging under his cloak, he slipped his wand out of the pocket of his jeans and waved it over Ron. "Impervious Charm." Harry explained, and then turned the wand on himself. He waved it and then slipped it back under his cloak. "Let's go."
Once back out on the street they decided it would be better to split up and cover more ground faster. Harry headed out towards the Shrieking Shack with the aim of circling round to meet Ron back outside the pub in twenty minutes. As he trudged along in the rain, which fell all around him and not on him thanks to the charm, he began to worry in earnest.
Why would Hermione leave the comfort of The Three Broomsticks and come out in this? She was far too sensible a girl to do something like that lightly, so what had brought her out here?
A sudden gust of wind whipped his coat up, and Harry shivered. Partly from the cold blast, but mostly because Ron's foreboding intuition about Hermione's break-up with Zach was now creeping through Harry's veins like ice.
Harry quickened his pace, scanning the cobbled streets carefully. Lightening forked across the sky as he neared the edge of town and a clap of thunder broke loudly above him. Harry's worry was turning to dread as the minutes ticked by with no sign of Hermione. It was possible that she had already returned to Hogwarts, but something told Harry that she hadn't. That she was out here somewhere and in need of him and Ron. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of a flash of light somewhere in the distance to his right. It was low on the horizon, rising above the housetops instead of illuminating the sky.
Harry broke into a run.
He circled the last house at the end of the street before the forest took over and bolted down the path that took him past trees on one side and streets on the other.
Another flash of light rose from the trees ahead.
Harry clumsily dug for his wand under his cloak, but it was impossible to get to it under the heavy garment unless he slowed down or stopped. Another flash – this one green – and Harry abandoned his try for the wand and broke into a sprint.
As he neared he could make out three figures draped in black standing around another slumped body on the ground. Harry tried to pull up before he ran straight into them and gave himself away but skidded on the muddy sopping grass and slid along the ground on his hip before finally coming to a halt in a bush.
He scrambled to pull his wand out and get up at the same time but he slipped again, nosediving into the mud. He swore loudly in frustration and ripped at his cloak. It fell away as he stumbled to his feet, his hand swiftly grabbing his wand from his jeans. The impervious charm had dissipated on contact with the ground when he had fallen and the rain pelted into his lenses obscuring his vision. The figures ahead were a blur, but he could make out one of them lifting the limp body off the ground. Harry pushed forward and fired a stun that hit his target, flinging the Death Eater backwards and sending the body in his arms flying.
Another figure with light coloured hair was screaming at Harry and pointing frantically. Then spells were being flung at Harry from an impossible number of directions as he tried to turn. Unable to do anything else, he launched himself onto the ground, ducking the ribbons of light that laced above him. Some hit surrounding trees and exploded, sending splintering wood showering down on Harry. But he didn't have time to worry about the sudden stabbing pain in his shoulder. He clawed his way off the ground again and scrambled towards the body that had been thrown clear by his stun, when suddenly something brought him crashing to his knees. Collapsing under an enormous weight Harry was pushed forward and pinned flat to the ground. All the air left his lungs under the crushing force and specks of light darted into his eyesight as he slowly and painfully lifted his head.
Voices muffled by the storm exchanged unknown words around Harry's prone form. He realized he was only meters from the Death Eater he had knocked out with his stun as several pairs of black boots crossed his field of vision, slapping in the muddy, rain soaked grass. The Death Eater was beginning to slowly and stiffly pick himself up off the ground, and only a short distance from him was the limp body he had been holding. This close Harry could see the sodden and muddied long brown hair and Weasley jumper poking through the torn cloak.
"Hermione."
It came out as barely a whisper and Harry's heart clenched and ached and suddenly everything felt wrong.
He gritted his teeth, putting everything he had into moving. To getting up and going to her anyway he could. He tried to push up, but even though his arms were right there on the ground either side of his head his brain couldn't seem to find them to use them and as he strained, blackness swamped the edges of his vision threateningly. He ignored the warning and summoned every nerve and muscle he could to get on his feet, but his arms still didn't move and with dawning understanding, Harry realized couldn't even feel his legs.
The blonde who had been screaming at Harry was lying on his back in the mud a few feet away with his arms folded over his face and weeping whole-heartedly. Then his arms dropped away as he rolled onto his side and hugged himself, curling his knees up tightly into his chest.
Zacharias anguished eyes closed tightly as he continued to sob.
Harry's neck burned with the strain of keeping his head up but he had to watch. He had to.
The Death Eater in front of him had finally found his feet and was walking the few paces to Hermione's still form. He bent down to gather her up and as he slid his arms under her body his now unmasked face came into Harry's limited field of view.
Harry roared in frustration and fury, but with next to no air in his lungs all that came out was an inaudible groan, smothered by the pounding, relentless rain. Harry watched, unable to do anything as Snape lifted Hermione and then turned to face the other Death Eaters. He said something Harry couldn't pick up and then Harry felt a pull, and sharp seering pain forked through his right shoulder. He tried to respond but all that came out was a broken grunt.
He was rapidly losing his battle to stay conscious. His eyes dropped closed as his head sagged.
The voices were talking again but were interrupted by a loud yell that came from somewhere in the distance.
Snape barked out an order and Harry heard several loud cracks and he knew beyond a doubt, without having to look, that Hermione was gone.
Zach's wailing sobs droned on relentlessly and then Harry heard Ron's voice calling to him.
Harry clinged to consciousness.
He had failed Ron. He had failed Hermione. He'd let them take her and he wanted to tell Ron how sorry he was. How desperately and sickeningly sorry he was.
The pain seemed to be growing in intensity as he tried to draw breath.
His head finally dropped cheek first back into the mud, the strength to hold it up no longer in him. Ron yelled his name frantically again, sounding almost on top of him, and then ... a hand touched his face hesitantly.
Harry dragged his eyes open and met Ron's pale, strained and scared face looking down at him.
"I'm so sorry." Harry breathed.
Then he sank into darkness.