Title: All Nights (10/?)
Keywords: Hermione, Harry, Harry/Hermione, Ron, Draco, post-HBP, Great Horcrux Hunt.
Summary: Will Harry and Hermione ever admit their feelings for each other? Where is Malfoy,
anyway? Is Snape truly evil? Does Voldemort use too many ellipsis when he talks? Is there going to be anymore snogging
any time soon?
Rating: PG13
Word Count: 5, 604
A/N: Yes, this chapter has taken me way too long to produce. I blame school. If this
completely sucks, it's not my fault-I've been writing it in itty, bitty pieces for the last few weeks.
To everyone who has left a review, sent me an email, and given me encouragement on this fic, thank you. I appreciate all your comments very much. I only wish I had time for faster updates.
***
Witches and wizards Apparated in and out of St. Mungo's lobby, clutching their hats down over their ears. Harried looks were etched into their faces. A young girl clenched a lollipop in her fist as her mother dragged her out the door.
The receptionist's shrill voice echoed through the confusion.
"You, floor two-next!"
Hermione's hand moved in small circles over Ron's back. He was slumped over his knees, his face pushed into his palms. Every few moments she'd feel a shudder go through his body.
The twins were ridged in the seats next to Ron. They'd barely greeted her when they flooed in. She couldn't remember ever having seen them so serious.
Word had not yet reached Bill and Charlie-Bill, who was still on his honeymoon.
She watched Fred's Adam's apple bob up and down as he swallowed and George gripped him on the shoulder, his knuckles whitening. She opened her mouth to say something-it'll be okay, it'll all be fine, but her throat closed and she bowed her head.
Harry stood apart from them. He was by the window, holding on to the ledge with one hand. She wondered if he was keeping watch.
She leaned forward. "Hang tight, I'm going to talk to Harry."
Ron nodded and gripped her hand once before letting go. "Tell him not to blame himself, okay?" he whispered.
"Alright," Hermione whispered back.
She made her way to Harry, dodging the flood of people. When she reached him, she slipped an arm around his waist and leaned against him. He squeezed her close before releasing her, his breath fogging up the window in front of him.
"Ron told me to tell you it's not your fault," she said.
Harry gave a wry chuckle. "Yeah. He's a good friend."
She turned her head to look at him. His face was pinched and pale and his bangs clung to his forehead. She could scarcely see his scar peeking out from beneath them.
"Care to tell me what you're thinking about?"
His jaw tightened and then relaxed. "Nothing. I'm just thinking."
"Harry…"
"I don't want to talk, Hermione," he said. His voice caught. "I don't want… I don't want to talk about it."
She nodded. "Okay."
He braced his weight on his hand and she watched him critically, waiting… waiting for-
She didn't know.
"Harry…" her voice shook and she pressed closer to him. "Harry, we'll do it, we can get through it-you know we can. We've faced worse."
His hand curved around her back and rested there.
"I don't… I don't know…" his eyes squeezed shut before opening. He watched his reflection in the glass. "I don't know how to do this."
She nudged him lightly with her foot and he glanced down at her. "Well, that's okay." Her voice shook, but she pressed on. "I know what to do, Harry."
The look he gave her nearly brought tears to her eyes. "Yeah… what-what do we do, then?"
"We," she said, slowly and deliberately. "We are going to visit with the Weasleys. We are going to support Ron. And then we're going to leave Ron with his family for as long as he needs it. We'll go back to Grimmauld Place, search Malfoy's room, and track him down. Okay?"
Harry blinked. "You make it sound so easy."
"One step at a time," she said. She leaned her head on his shoulder. "One-step-at-a-time. I learned that ages ago, you know. Back in third year, when I had that cursed time turner. I could do one thing at a time or go mad."
Harry rubbed his hand up and down her arm and shook his head. "Yeah, I reckon that's possible. One step at a time."
She felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped, startling Harry. He flinched and grabbed her arm protectively, but it was only Charlie.
"Sorry," he said. He tried to smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I just got here… thought I'd say hello."
Harry gave a terse nod and hastily turned back to the window. Hermione resisted the urge to give a small scream. Just as she was beginning to get through to him…
She hugged Charlie and kissed his cheek, trying to keep her spirits-and his-up. "It's good to see you. Any word from Bill?"
Charlie nodded. "Yeah, he should be here soon. Poor bloke. Off with Fleur."
She left Harry to walk him back to the others. She wrapped her arm around Ron's neck and he smiled gratefully.
"Thanks, Hermione," he whispered hoarsely.
"Of course," she said.
"What's up with Harry?" Charlie said, nodding towards the window.
"He's looking out for us," Hermione said. "The best way he knows how."
Charlie looked puzzled, but Ron seemed to understand. He took a steadying breath, glancing at his watch.
"It's been an hour," he said.
"Hush," she said. "Watching the time won't do you any good. We both know so."
***
She talked constantly, hardly aware of what she was saying. She talked about the weather and the Minister of Magic. She rubbed Ron's back and she fussed over the twins and she didn't break down, not once, not even a little.
Fleur and Bill arrived, prompting another round of hugs and tears. Fleur collapsed into a chair, emitting loud wailing noises and blowing her nose. Hermione ignored her, keeping calm, because if she didn't do it, no one else would.
She frowned at Harry, who remained by the window, staring out into the street below. She was caught between wanting to go to him and looking after the Weasleys.
After four hours, she ran out of things to say and went to get coffee.
She arrived back into the waiting room, ten cups of coffee levitated in front of her. But the Weasleys were gone. There was only Harry, sitting in one of the chairs, and speaking to Lupin.
Startled, Hermione let the coffee fall to the floor, splashing over the hospital's white tile. A passing nurse hissed at her and she bent down, furiously cleaning it up, her heart racing.
When she rose, Lupin was gone. Her hands trembling, she went to sit next to Harry, hardly daring to look at him.
For a long time, neither of them spoke. With Ron gone, she felt exhaustion close in on her. The four hours felt like days.
"Lupin said it wasn't me," Harry said. "He says it was… it had to do with Molly and Arthur's place in the Order. Not me. They weren't trying to hurt me."
Hermione's chest hitched and she placed her hand on his knee. "Oh, Harry…"
"I couldn't be sure… not until that moment…."
He looked at her, but she could tell he wasn't seeing her. His mind was far away, thinking past this, past the hospital. It was on Voldemort and Horcruxes and how this new attack on the Weasleys gave him one more reason to go after him.
She squeezed his knee. "Everyone in the Order knew what they were getting into."
"Yeah," Harry said. "I can't stop thinking about that summer before fifth-year, when I walked in on Mrs. Weasley's boggart…."
He gave her a strained smile and leaned forward to kiss her cheek, his lips lingering on the corner of her mouth.
"You know what this means, don't you?" he whispered.
She shook her head, startled by his closeness. "Know what?"
"The Weasleys weren't good enough," Harry said bitterly. "They weren't close enough to me." He looked into her eyes. "Hermione, I-"
"Mr. Potter?"
Their heads snapped up. A short nurse with a clipboard stood in front of them, her smile perky.
"Yes?"
"Miss Weasley is asking for you," she said.
Harry frowned. "But… her family… don't they-"
Hermione elbowed him in the side and he winced. "Ginny," she hissed.
"Oh!" he said. "Yeah-I mean, alright. Okay."
He jumped up and followed the nurse without giving her a second glance.
Hermione sighed and shifted in her chair, crossing and uncrossing her legs. Without the rest of the Weasleys, time slowed to a crawl.
She didn't know how long she sat. Waiting. She'd never fit into the Weasley family in the same way Harry had.
When Ron came back, he wasn't smiling. "Mum's up, she's doing good," he took a breath. "Ginny'll be alright, bit shaken up, I reckon. She's getting all weepy, but Harry's taking care of her."
Hermione stiffened. "He is?"
"Well, yeah," Ron said, glancing at her oddly. "Always been what he was best at when it came to Ginny, wasn't it?"
"I suppose," Hermione said. "But they're not… they're…"
Ron scrubbed his face with his hands. "Hermione, to be honest, I've got a bit more on my mind right now than Ginny's love life."
"Of course," Hermione said hastily. "How's your dad?"
Ron's face tightened. "Still unconscious. The Healers-they can't trace the curse. It must be tied to the Death Eater that cast it. The Order's trying to sort it out, Bill and Charlie left with them. It's driving Mum barmy that she can't be there with them. Took me and the twins to convince her to stay put. She's quite determined, you know, when she sets her mind to something, Mum is."
"I know," Hermione said. "How are you doing?"
Ron shrugged. "I keep thinking I ought to wake up any moment now. We all knew this would happen eventually, but I never thought…"
"It's your family," Hermione said softly. "It makes everything more real."
"Yeah," Ron said, he dropped into the seat next to her and rubbed his forehead. "It was like… it was like it was a game before now, you know? There we were, after the Horcruxes, and I knew Mum and them were back home, right where they were supposed to be. But it's not like that, Hermione. It's more than us fighting this war."
"Yes," she said. "It's more than us. We're not the only ones that can get hurt."
"Is it our fault, do you think?" Ron said, glancing back at her. "We know how to beat Voldemort. Just about the only ones that know how. And… we can't even-I mean, Malfoy got away-"
"Shush," she said. "Don't think about that now, Ron. You have your family to worry about."
He peered at her for a few moments. "You and Harry are thinking about it. I can see it."
She looked away, unable to come up with a proper reply. What could she tell him? Searching for the Horcruxes and finding Malfoy, it did matter more.
Ron changed the subject. "Percy never showed." He paused. "Bloody idiot."
Hermione wanted to reassure him, perhaps tell him that one day they would mend their rift when she felt tears prick her eyes.
No, it wasn't a game anymore.
She touched Ron on the arm and stood up. "Can I go visit them?" she said, her voice strained. "Your family?"
He nodded. "Of course." He tried to smile. "You're practically one of us anyway, you and Harry. Honorary Weasleys."
"Thanks, Ron," she whispered.
And she hurried away, keeping her eyes on the floor.
***
She hated herself for bypassing Mrs. Weasley's room and heading straight towards Ginny's.
She was letting her relationship with Harry come first. And that was dangerous. To all of them.
She wiped her palms on her jeans, her heartbeat loud in her ears. None of the Healers glanced at her as she walked down the hall.
She crept up to the door, concealing herself as best she could. Some part of her realized it was an invasion of Harry's privacy, spying on him like this, but it was the rational side of her brain, the side that didn't care anymore. She took a deep breath and looked.
She thought she'd be prepared.
Harry was holding Ginny's hand, his face near hers, and he was speaking in hushed, low tones. Ginny looked pale, but unharmed. Her hair was splayed out around her on the pillow and her eyes were fastened to Harry's face. She didn't cry, but her face, devoid of makeup, made her look vulnerable.
Hermione leaned forward, swallowing past the lump in her throat.
"… don't worry, Ginny, okay? We're taking care of it… the Order, I mean… things are going to be alright… one day I'm going to find him, Ginny… I swear…"
Ginny nodded. She didn't cry. She brought Harry's hand to her mouth and kissed the fingers entwined with hers.
Hermione pulled back, clutching her hands together. There was a dull roaring in her ears. She wanted to erase the scene from her memory and pretend she hadn't watched Harry comforting Ginny…
Her heart thundering, she took off down the corridor, going to the nearest Apparating point.
It isn't a game anymore.
***
When she Apparated into Grimmauld Place, she took the stairs two at a time, her feet pounding against each step. She strode all the way to Malfoy's room, banging the door open with a satisfying crack.
And she stopped in the doorway, her mouth hanging open. Malfoy was lying on his bed, arms folded under his head and his eyes drifting lazily over the ceiling.
"Granger," he said, quirking an eyebrow at her. "Something I can… do… for you?"
"Get up," she said. "GET UP."
"Okay, okay," he said, swinging his legs over the bed and stretching. "What's with the attitude?"
She set her teeth. "Don't think you can pull one over on me, Malfoy. We know full well you disappeared. Where were you? Who did you talk to?"
He sighed. "Granger, I don't have the faintest-"
Hermione pulled out her wand. "Malfoy, in case you haven't noticed, I'm not in the best mood. Now, you have five seconds to tell me exactly-"
"Oh, hush up, Granger," Malfoy said. "You're always so dramatic. That's your problem, you know. You don't know how to… loosen up… throw a bit of caution to the wind. Perhaps that's why Potter liked Weaslebit so much better-"
Hermione strode across the room and pointed her wand at Malfoy's throat. "Three seconds," she hissed.
Malfoy eyed her wand. "I was at Malfoy Manor."
Hermione dug her wand into his throat and he hissed.
"I was trying to-ow… loosen up on that, will you?"
"Time's up, Malfoy-"
"The Horcrux! Remember it? Father was a collector of the dark arts, Granger. Has a library that could rival the Restricted Section at Hogwarts." He paused and caught her eye. "Not only did I find out how to destroy the cup, but I know where the next one is."
Hermione leaned closer to him. "Draco?" she whispered.
His mouth curled upwards and he reached out one hand towards her, resting it on her hip. "Yeah?"
"You're a liar and a cheat," she spat, shoving her wand against his throat until he gasped. "You better come up with a better cover story than that."
Malfoy coughed and rubbed at his neck. But when he looked at her, he was smiling. "My, but how you've changed. Do you like what you've become, Granger?"
"I've become what I've needed to become," she said. "No less than that."
He licked his lips and eyed her up and down until she flushed. "Would it be so terrible?" he said softly. "You and me… we both know there's always been something there."
Hermione regarded him for a moment, her eyes panning over his well-defined features. "Malfoy," she said, slowly and clearly. "You tortured me-for fun. I'll never forget that. You disgust me." She took a breath and gathered her resolve. "And I'm Harry's girl. Forget it."
Malfoy raised his eyebrows at her last comment. "Fair enough."
He stood and Hermione watched him in suspicion, her brow furrowed. "What are you doing?"
"I," he said. "Am going to Hogwarts. And you're coming with me."
Hermione laughed. "That's rich," she said. "I'm going with you. Hardly. You are not going anywhere."
Malfoy cocked his head to the side. "Listen, Granger, it's there, alright? Are you listening? The-next-part is at Hogwarts!"
She was about to argue when she remembered Harry's suspicions that Voldemort implanted a Horcrux at Hogwarts. It had been the only place Voldemort ever called a home, Harry said. And she could tell that, on that, he could sympathize with the man Riddle had once been.
Harry.
She wished she could get him out of her head.
"And just what proof do you have, Malfoy?" she demanded. "You went back to Malfoy Manor-for what? Who did you talk to? This place is Unplottable, no one can get here unless they know it exists already. Harry and Ron and I-we're safe as long as we're here."
Malfoy snorted. "Well, they aren't here, are they? You can't stay hidden in your fortress forever. The rest of the world will find its way in."
"If you sold us out-"
"I did not!" Malfoy said, voicing rising. "I told you, I have nothing to gain from going back there! I did my own research because you were too busy fucking Potter to give a shit!"
Hermione felt her face burn. "That's ridiculous."
Malfoy chuckled. "Say what you will, Granger, it's no skin off my nose. In fact, I'd laugh if he went back to the Weasley Bitch in the end-they probably deserve each other."
"Shut up," she said.
Malfoy took two steps towards her, pulling Hufflepuff's cup out of his pocket. She set her jaw, her hand clenching on her wand.
"Listen to me very carefully," he said. "This cup? It's got a piece of the Dark Lord's soul in it. His soul. Do you know what kind of a connection that takes? He needs to feel close to the items he uses… he needs to make them virtually impenetrable…." Malfoy shook his head and stuffed it back into his pocket. "I tried to find something of Ravenclaw's, perhaps the cup's twin, but I came up with nothing. But this cup, it's connected to something-if we find another Horcrux, it puts us ahead. There's one at Hogwarts. I'm sure of it."
Despite her better judgment, Hermione was fascinated. "Where?"
"Don't know," Malfoy said. He grinned and waggled his eyebrows. "But it's time to find out. Come on, Granger. What've you got to lose?"
Everything, she thought, staring at him suspiciously. She wondered if he was using Legilimens to break into her mind.
"Give me five minutes," she said.
***
Crookshanks wiggled and twisted in her arms. "Oh, come on," she whined. "First Harry, now you. I'm beginning think I'm some kind of hideous monster."
Crookshanks blinked lazily, giving a yawn.
"I know-this is stupid, and reckless, and all sorts of things that I never do. But Malfoy's right, the Horcruxes do need to be first and Harry and Ron aren't here, are they? They… they have… more important people to be with right now…." She trailed off and set her resolve. "Well, there's no use crying over it-I always knew that I was taking a risk with Harry. He was so happy, you know… when he was with Ginny… seems so long ago, now…"
She sighed and set Crookshanks down. He skittered across the floor and under the bed. Hermione watched him go, fighting loneliness. Malfoy's does not count as company.
"This is the right thing," she told the empty room. "If Malfoy's right about this, then…."
She thought about the Weasleys lying in the hospital wing. Arthur Weasley, who may have given his life to save his family…
"Harry's not here," she said again. "It's… it's up to me…"
She bit her lip and backed out of her room, closing the door behind her. She thought about Harry holding Ginny's hand at St. Mungo's.
She tasted blood in her mouth.
"Ready, Granger?"
It was Malfoy. She nodded, a sense of trepidation creeping over her as she Apparated away.
***
Coming back to Hogwarts felt unreal. The halls were too big. Too long. Too empty. Goosebumps broke out along her arms and she shivered, hugging her wand closed to her chest. A tiny fire burned at the tip of it, lighting their way.
She made Malfoy go first.
Of course.
In case that helps me-if this is a trap, nothing will help me, and I'll go down as the stupidest witch in history.
That thought made her wince.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
Malfoy turned Hufflepuff's cup around and around in his wands as he walked, watching the light from her wand reflect off its surface. "Professor Snape's office."
Hermione stopped. "Why?"
She held her teeth firmly together, resisting the urge to let them chatter. She was so cold.
"We're going to sort through Professor Snape's things."
Hermione snorted. "After the… special… relationship the pair of you shared, you think we need to snoop through his things? Do you really think he would have left something lying around?"
"Do you have a better idea?"
No, she didn't.
Instead of answering, she gestured for him to continue. He did, walking closer to her this time. It made the back of her neck itch.
"You still remember it, don't you?" Malfoy said quietly. "You remember every second that I tortured you."
"Yes," she said.
"Good."
She made a small sound of disgust. "You know, Malfoy, if you're out to prove that you can be redeemed, you might attempt by starting with some semblance of remorse."
"I'm not out to be redeemed, Granger," he said. "I'm out to win."
She changed the subject. "Why did you bring Hufflepuff's cup? Seems a bit dangerous, don't you think, walking into here with it?"
"Haven't you been listening?" Malfoy snapped. "Use your brains, Granger. The Horcruxes are connected. They each contain a part of the Dark Lord. Do you understand? This cup will help us find the next one… and that one will help us destroy this one… "
Malfoy trailed off and thought for a moment. "Potter's connected to them too. No one really knows how, only that he is. My best guess is that we're not going to be able to destroy these on our own. He took out one by himself just recently, didn't he?"
Hermione nodded. "Well… that was… that was a special case…"
"Oh, naturally," Malfoy said. "I should never have bothered with you. Don't know what was so important that kept Potter from his Grand Mission."
Hermione bristled. "You will do just fine with me, thank you!"
She shoved him up ahead, her jaw set as they entered the old DADA's classroom. Malfoy headed straight for Snape's office and Hermione followed, glancing around at the empty desks. She ran a finger over one of the surfaces, a thick mound of dust clinging to her skin.
She heard Malfoy fiddling around in the office. She ignored him, letting her mind drift. Malfoy's right, there must be something here… something that we're missing. Connection… what is that Voldemort is connected to? The four houses, obviously, but that diary belonged to him, and Nagini belongs to him… what else could…
She heard a large crash from Snape's office and rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Malfoy, keep it down, will you? It's best if we don't alert everyone to our presence."
She didn't get a reply. Hermione frowned, her stomach shifting uncomfortably. She moved cautiously towards the office. "Malfoy, this isn't funny… we have loads to get done-"
Her words turned into a gasp. Draco Malfoy's body was sprawled on the ground, his head turned to the side and his mouth hanging open. One arm stretched outwards and the fingers of his hand were clenched together.
"Expelliarmus!"
Before Hermione had time to react, her wand flew from her hand and hit the wall. Professor Snape stepped over Draco's body, Hufflepuff's cup held between his fingers.
"Pleasure, as always, Miss Granger," Snape said silkily, walking by her. "Lovely doing business with you. Give my regards to Potter."
Her mouth opened, her hands clenching against her thighs. She could scarcely understand how this was happening. Professor Snape had the cup. He knew they had been coming-he'd been expecting them. But he's not killing me, she thought frantically. He's going to leave me here. He's got what he came for.
Her eyes ticked to Malfoy. He could still be alive… she hadn't heard an Avada Kedavra…
"How…" she croaked. "Why… I don't-I don't understand…"
Snape spun around. "Stupid, girl," he said. "You always thought yourself better than your peers, Granger, and yet you failed time and again to use your head. Mr. Malfoy is nothing but an arrogant boy, hardly capable of eluding myself, much less the Dark Lord."
Hermione's eyes widened. "He was a plant. He thought he was fooling you, but of course-of course he couldn't. Oh-what an idiot." Another thought struck her and a smile tugged at her mouth. "But you can't get us at Grimmauld Place, can you? It must be maddening that we're so well hidden there. We could be doing anything and right under your very own nose."
Snape's lip curled in disgust. "You are not nearly as afraid of me as you should be, Granger. Surely a part of you does not suspect I can turn back to the-how does one put it-the path of good?"
Hermione opened her mouth to reply and then jerked, her mouth clamping shut and her teeth grinding into her bottom lip.
"Severus."
The name sounded more like a whisper than a word. She looked up, away from Snape, her eyes panning over the floor and the walls and the desks in slow motion, knowing what she would find. Voldemort.
"Severus, you have gone soft… leaving them alive…"
Voldemort was tall. His face was long and pointed and his nostrils flared as he walked. He strode into the room, his feet barely touching the ground.
"I apologize, My Lord," Snape said, bending down on one knee. He kept his head lowered. "I saw no use in killing them. They were former students of mine."
Voldemort pinched Snape's chin between two of his long fingers, tilting his head back. "You are conflicted, Severus. Killing Dumbledore has been difficult for you. You are lost-no longer sure of your place in this war. You do what I tell you, but with reluctance."
"I am your loyal servant."
"Ahh, yes. We will see."
Voldemort let go of Snape and stepped around him. His eyes swept over Snape's office, barely pausing on Hermione.
"Avada Kedavra!" he hissed.
A burst of green light flowed from Voldemort's wand and struck Malfoy in the chest. Malfoy jerked and rolled over, his mouth falling open and eyes wide and unseeing.
Hermione screamed.
Voldemort's eyes snapped to her. She took a startled step backwards, thumping against the wall, her hand clamped over her mouth. Her chest constricted. She couldn't breathe.
Voldemort's eyes were red. He approached her slowly and she felt her legs weaken and her vision cloud. If I fall unconscious now, I'll never wake up. She had to do something, defend herself. She couldn't go down like a coward.
"Oh, yes," he whispered, reaching her. One of his bony fingers stroked her cheek, tracing small circles down under her chin and jaw. "Miss Hermione Granger."
She was frozen. Her cheek burned where he touched her, but she couldn't move. She couldn't think.
"Faithful, Hermione Granger," he continued. "Pity Potter never cared much for you. Letting you die here, now, alone. Shame. You're hardly even worth using as a bargaining chip."
Her eyes darted to Malfoy's face, which looked so normal and relaxed. It seemed impossible that he was dead… when one moment he'd been taunting her…
"You're a pretty girl," Voldemort said. "Unlike my mother, the blood traitor. You, you have power, girl. And for a Mudblood."
She closed her eyes, her entire body shaking. "The Order of the Phoenix is coming," she rasped. "I left them a message before I came here."
Voldemort laughed. "Did you?"
"Yes," Hermione said. "I'm certain they're on their way. Do you really want to be caught?"
He leaned in to whisper in her ear. Hermione turned her head away. "Listen, my dear, there is no way anyone can defeat me. No matter how many how many turn up. And I highly doubt that… your cat… will be an effective means of transferring your message…"
Hermione gasped and jerked away. She eyed her wand on the floor and Voldemort followed her gaze, his lips quirking into a smile.
"Go on," he said. "Take it. Defend yourself."
Hermione swallowed and bent down to fetch it. It shook in her hands. "Professor Snape," she said weakly. "You don't honestly want-"
"Quiet, girl," Voldemort snapped. "You will focus on me, do you understand?"
Hermione flinched. She couldn't bear to look at Voldemort. I can't win in a duel, I know I can't… I can't even stall… he'll kill me before I even raise my wand…
A memory hit her then, so strong she stumbled backwards a few steps.
Don't pretend you know anything about Quidditch, Hermione. You'll only embarrass yourself.
SECTUMSEMPRA!
Light burst from the tip of Hermione's wand. She waited, breathless, holding her hand steady and listening to her pulse race. The light enveloped Voldemort and she watched, transfixed, every muscle in her body wound tight.
Did it work? Oh, please, please let it work…
A moment passed and then the light began circling around Voldemort, faster and faster until it clumped together in front of him. Voldemort's lips twitched and she gasped, realizing what he was about to do. She ducked, but Voldemort released the energy and it hurtled towards her. She gave a sharp cry when it struck the side of her chest.
She fell back against the wall, her head snapping backwards against it. Ringing pain echoed in her ears.
Panting, she tried to rise and her legs buckled. Something wet trickled down her side. It was her own blood.
She bit her lip and struggled again, but it was no use. She fell back against the wall and pressed a hand to her side. Tears sprang into her eyes.
Voldemort took a step towards her. "Why do you continue to fight, child?"
"The same reason everyone fights you," she whispered. "And they will always fight you. If you kill me now, they'll keep coming. If it's not Harry, it'll be someone else."
A muscle twitched in Voldemort's jaw. He raised his wand. "Unfortunately, you will not be around to witness-"
CRASH!
Voldemort spun around. The noise had come from the side of the classroom. A large square of stone burst from the wall and struck the floor. There was another crash, followed by silence, and then the wall began crumpling inwards. Bricks, stones and glass rained down onto the floor. Hermione pressed her lips together to keep from whimpering.
The noise was unbearable. Dust puffed its way towards the ceiling, swirling together like smoke. Hermione coughed and dragged herself away from the wreckage, keeping her eyes pinned on the collapsing classroom wall.
And then a giant hand appeared through the rubble, its fingers clenching and unclenching. An immense head followed, pushing against what was left of the wall, its mouth opening and closing as it mouthed the same word over and over.
"HERMY, HERMY, HERMY…."
Hermione chocked back a sob. "Yes," she said, her voice scratchy. She tried again, louder. "Yes, Grawp, good boy, Grawp."
The words had barely passed through her lips when the classroom doors burst open and Order members crashed in. Hagrid, Professor McGonagall, Tonks, Lupin, Moody…
Tears streamed down her face, mixing with the dust and grime. She almost began to laugh-how ridiculous she must look! Sitting in a pile of blood, coated in dust, crying her eyes out… honestly…
"Hermione!"
Harry pushed his way past the Order members and rushed to her side. She gaped at him and tried to smile, but all she managed was a wince.
He dropped to his knees beside her, his face dark. "Merlin, Hermione, you're… there's so much blood-"
Swallowing, he tore off his shirt and pushed her bloody hands away, pressing the material against her wound.
"Er, could I get some help over here?" he yelled over his shoulder.
He didn't get an answer. The Order members were clustered around Malfoy. Professor McGonagall bent down to press two fingers to his neck, the look on her face telling them everything they needed to know.
Hermione looked away. "Voldemort…" she whispered. "He's… he was here, Harry…"
Harry looked stricken. "Voldemort was here?"
"Yes, he was," she murmured. "It was quite stupid of me, really, to not have planned for something like this. I used to be rather good at this sort of thing, wasn't I? I'm not usually so reckless…."
"No, you're not," Harry said. "I don't understand what you were-no, it's not important right now. Listen, you're going to have to go to the hospital wing. You'll get fixed up in no time at all."
"Alright," she said. "Did you get my message, Harry? I left it with Crookshanks…"
Harry shifted and lifted one hand to rest it on her cheek. "Yeah, I got your message…"
There were other faces bending over her now. Lupin and Tonks, both of them looking grim. She could hear someone crying. It sounded like Professor McGonagall.
The last thing she saw before she blacked out was Draco Malfoy's motionless face.