A/N: I broke a promise and for that, I apologize, I won't come out with a BS excuse, I was just seriously stuck with this chapter. If it helps, I wasn't completely unproductive, I was also adding tidbits to other chapters of this story. Because this story has been in my head for a while now, I know what happens; therefore, I can add stuff to future chapters. This chapter also took a long because I ended up changing it completely because I also uploaded it to the Harry Potter Fanfiction: and they have ridiculous guidelines. I decided to save myself the grief and just edit this chapter now so I won't have to change it when I upload there. Never fear, I will continue to upload here first because I get more reviews and am less restricted to00 what I love. Enough blabbing, and on with this long-awaited chapter. P.S, I'm not a good action writer…at least maybe not yet…so that is why I cut out A LOT of the action that is found in the Seven Potters and Fallen Warrior chapters of DH, besides, although it does somewhat follow DH, I don't want it to look like a rewrite, this story has a lot more of my plot than DH.

I'm trapped inside of my own mind

Afraid to open my eyes cause of what I'd find and I

Don't wanna live like this anymore

There goes my pain

There goes my chains

Did you see them falling

Because this feeling

There has no meaning

There goes the world

Off of my shoulders

There goes the world

Off of my back

There it goes

"Quasimodo"- Lifehouse

Harry had reluctantly gone along with the plan the Order had constructed. He had watched in half amusement and half anger, the people he cared for transform themselves into exact copies of him. This was much too dangerous, he was completely against it, but had no choice but to go along with it because he knew the Order was not going to listen to him.

Harry paced back and forth on the familiar ground of The Burrow on which he and Hagrid had landed on not long ago. Their plan had been foiled; somehow, Voldemort had found him, the REAL Harry. Hagrid and he had almost been killed on their way to their pre-destined spot. Harry and Hagrid had been hastily mended by Tonk's parents before grabbing a Portkey that would take them to The Burrow. He couldn't even begin to imagine if the same had occurred to the others. As he looked around, he noticed he and Hagrid were still the only ones to have arrived. The clock was ticking, with every minute the danger and fear mounted.

He had been anxiously received by Mrs. Weasley and Ginny, who explained who was supposed to come and at what time. Harry was startled to find that Ron had missed his Portkey as had Lupin and George. He just felt in his gut that these were not good signs. Surely, he wasn't the only one who had been attacked by Death Eaters. It was not too farfetched to automatically start thinking that one of them must've been injured, or possibly worse…he couldn't think about it. Not another life wasted for his. Not again.

More of the order by now had arrived. George and Lupin had arrived, George had been hit by a spell Harry was all too familiar with. A spell he hated to remember, one he had used himself. George's ear had been cut off and it was all Snape's doing. His signature move: Sectumsempra. He would be okay, but it didn't soothe anyone, who else had been injured…or possibly killed? Fred had made it back also. They were all shaken and had rushed to George's side at once. Outside, Harry stood with Lupin, Ginny, Hagrid, looking out into the night sky with anticipation. Where was Ron? Where was Hermione?

Just then, they heard a swish. They all swiveled around and saw a broom appearing out of thin air. It was Tonks and Ron. Everyone rushed over to them as once as they landed sloppily on the ground. Tonks ignored everyone completely as she rushed toward Lupin, knocking him to the ground. Ginny rushed forward to hug her older brother. Ron gave Harry a shaky smile over her shoulder.

"Are we the last one's back?" Ron asked him.

"No." Harry replied. "We're still waiting for Bill, Fleur, Moody, Mundungus, Kinglsey, and Hermione."

Harry saw a concerned look etched all over Ron's face.

"Hermione's not back?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly.

Sensing that Harry and Ron needed to be alone, Ginny took her cue to exit.

"I'll go tell mum and dad you're here." said Ginny.

Ron kept his eyes on Harry's as Ginny went off inside.

"She was scheduled to be one of the first one's back…" Ron said, looking down at his watch.

Harry shrugged.

"A lot of people missed their Portkey. I'm sure that's what happened." said Harry, trying hard to really convince himself to believe that.

Ron could tell Harry didn't believe what he said. Neither could he. Yet he urged himself to believe nothing seriously bad had happened. Sure he had patched things up with Hermione, but he would never forgive himself if today was the day something happened to her. He was sure Harry wouldn't either. He joined Harry in looking up into the dark sky. There was no sign of anything apparating out of thin air. Even the wind had seemed to disappear. The night was eerily still. Seconds turned into a minute, the minute turned into minutes and there was still no sign of anyone piercing through the pitch-black sky.

Harry was getting that devastating state of panic he had back when he was in the Department of mysteries. There was no sign of Hermione and the longer it took, the more the danger increased. He looked over to Ron who also had a deeply concerned expression on his face.

"She'll be fine." he said, sounding more like he was desperately trying to convince himself more than Harry.

What would they do without Hermione? It was an inconceivable thought. A thought Harry was desperate not to have. She had to be okay. She just had to.

Then suddenly, he heard big flaps from the sky and was relieved to see it was Kinglsey and Hermione, who was by now completely transformed back to her normal self.

He felt his heart leap when he saw Hermione dismounting the great, black Thestral. He waited impatiently as she ran towards him. She engulfed him in a fierce hug that almost toppled him over.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" she said breathlessly.

Harry closed his eyes as he hugged her back as tightly as she was hugging him.

"I'm glad you're safe too." said Harry fiercely.

They embraced more tightly than they had ever done in the past. Harry had truly started to believe something terrible had happened to her for the few minutes she was missing. Harry could tell Hermione too felt as relieved as he did for she was hugging so tightly, she was cutting off his circulation. Behind them, was a loud clearing of a throat that made them both look over. Seeing that it was Ron who had made the noise, both disengaged so fast it looked as if they had flinched from touching a hot object.

Hermione walked over to Ron and hugged him, less intense than she had done with Harry. Harry could sense awkwardness on her part, but he could tell Ron was genuinely relieved she was okay.

"What happened?" Harry asked to no one in particular.

"We were followed by two…might've killed one…at least the fall would have done him." answered Kinglsey.

"Are you sure you are okay?" Harry asked Hermione concernedly.

Hermione nodded. "Just a little shaken."

"Is everyone here?" she asked.

"The only ones missing are Bill and Fleur and Moody and Mundungus." Ron said.

"And is everyone okay?" Hermione asked concernedly.

Harry and Ron exchanged looks. Hermione had caught them.

"What?" she asked worriedly.

"George lost an ear." Ron said thickly.

"An ear?" Hermione said in shock, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Snape did it…" said Harry grimly. "With sectumsempra."

Hermione looked concernedly. She knew Harry felt horrible for using it on Malfoy in the previous term, to hear that the same spell had been used on someone close to him could not be easy.

"Will he be alright?" Hermione asked Ron.

"I reckon so." He replied.

"I think everyone should head inside…I'll give a shout when the rest get here." said Lupin.

Reluctantly, the group went inside, walking slowly due to the weight of fatigue and the mixture of fear that was still not yet over.

A/N: This chapter was really short, at least in my opinion. Makes me feel more guilty that I made you wait so long for a short chapter. The action may be lacking, but it isn't my forte at the moment so I would rather cut it than butcher it by writing. Please give me your wonderful feedback, this story will follow DH only up to Bill and Fleur's wedding, so if you have any tips on how the trio can leave the Burrow differently…feel free to help me out. =)