*Author's notes: Source for the engagement are in the
Book Irish wedding traditions: using your Irish heritage to create
The perfect wedding by Shannon McMahon Lichte
Chapter 8
Another Inevitable Fight Scene
Rain dumped down on the variety of plants that
thrived in the forbidden forest. It pounded against the mouth
of a cave where a fire had been lit for two misshaped cave
"dwellers".
Hermione checked Harry's eye dilation. His pupils
contracted unevenly when she brought her lighted wand up
to his eye. "Nox." She commanded and the light at the end
of her wand turned off. "Well, Harry, you did an awfully good
job of getting a concussion."
"I'm tired."
"Yes and unfortunately I can't let you sleep." Hermione
offered a smile at him. "Do you know when your birthday is?"
"I'm really not up to playing guessing games."
"I know, but I kneed to keep you awake because you
do have a head injury and I don't have any of the proper potion
ingredients to make you anything. When is your birthday?"
"July 31st."
"Who is the Minister of Magic?"
"Albus Dumbledore."
"Very funny. Actually its still Fudge. Do you know who
I am?"
"Yep, You're Harry Potter." Harry smiled playfully at her.
Hermione giggled. "Would you be serious for a
moment."
"I am being serious. You're Harry Potter."
"No, you're Harry Potter. I'm your fiancée: Hermione.
You sometimes call me My One."
"Really, why do I do that?"
"Because the last 5 letters of my name is m-I-o-n-e.
You changed the I to a y and made it into two words. My One."
Hermione smiled at the memory. "You smiled at me and
when you called me that you said: "My One and only"."
"Really? You're my fiancée? Wow! I become famous
and become engaged with a really sexy woman all I the same
day."
"Yep, you definitely see Madame Pomfrey when we
get back." As if to respond to Hermione's last statement,
Harry threw up on the ground next to him. "Lovely."
Once the contents of his stomach had been
emptied, Hermione sighed. " Do you even remember
how you purposed to me?"
"It was at Bill and Sandy's wedding."
"That's right. Do you remember what you
said to me?"
"Honestly, Hermione, if I could remember I
would, but this headache is pounding my brains out."
"You came to me with a butter dish that you
swiped from one of the tables in the kitchen. You
placed the ring inside of the dish and you called me
over to look over the side of the Nelson's balcony."
"I'm really too tired to play 20 questions.
Are you sure I can't sleep?"
"Again, Harry, you have a concussion.
I can't let you sleep until you see Madame
Pomfrey."
"How soon do you think that is?"
Hermione glanced out at the mouth of
the cave. "As soon as the rain stops we should
start immediately for Hogwarts."
Harry stole a glance at Hermione as he
winced through the pain he quoted. "Oh woman,
loved by me, mayest thou give me thy heart, they
soul, and thy body." *
Hermione smiled. "You had to have read
that somewhere. "
"I read it in a book. Perhaps you heard of
it. Its called: Hogwarts: A History."
"That's not in Hogwarts: A History."
Harry grinned playfully. "I know."
*****
Ron paced the floor in front of the hospital
Wing, waiting for the arrival of Sergeant Duckhorn.
After he and the rest of the squadron's remaining
members brought Heather to the Hogwarts Hospital
wing; they were shooed out of the doorway by
Madame Pomfrey.
"We have to go after them." Sarah expressed
to no one in particular.
"Thank you, Sarah, for stating the obvious."
Anthony rolled his eyes. "What is your plan? We
fly back to where they fell? We'd be targets flying
into a massive trap. Not to mention there is this
really massive storm in case you didn't hear
the thunder or see the lightning. Of which would be
a real massive hazard flying to go and get them."
"We just can't leave them there. They'll be
killed."
"Enough the both of you." Ron snapped.
"We'll wait for orders before we make an attempt
at a rescue. If I know Harry and Hermione as well
as I think I do; they are probably on their way back
on their own accord."
"But Harry fell over 75 feet! He's going to
need immediate medical attention." Sarah
insisted.
"That's true. Your concern is duly noted,
Cadet Campbell." The voice of Sergeant Duckhorn
floated into their ears. Without more ado, the entire
squadron impulsively went into attention. "At ease
before you sprain something. We need to act fast
otherwise, we might be minus two team members.
Cadets Keynton, Habib, and Campbell you will take
off with your broom sticks and find them. Cadet
Weasley, I expect you to stay here. You are dismissed."
"With all due respect, Sergeant, I want to
search for my teammates."
"With all due respect, Cadet, you know I
cannot allow you to do that."
"Sir, I know the regulations involved. I know
I am too emotionally involved in this situation as I
was when it came to Heather's capture. You allowed
me to go then. Not to mention I know the forest better
than anyone else on the team. There are a few areas
that should be avoided at all cost. For example, a nest
of arachnids as Heather would say "the size of Texas"
reside in the forest."
"Are you talking about the Acromantula? They
are just legend."
Ron shook his head. "Harry and I encountered
A whole nest of them in our second year."
The sergeant's eyes grew as large as golf balls.
"You've actually seen Acromantula?"
"Sir, yes, sir. Hagrid kept one as a pet. His
offspring live in the forest." Ron sighed then
shuddered. "Not to mention I do know what
Malfoy and MacNeal are capable of."
"You still think they are a threat?"
"Sir, yes, sir."
Sergeant Duckhorn sighed. "Alright,
which one of you took the Onyx Spell Book?"
Ron's face turned gray. "Um…"
"Cadet, you did take your officer's oath.
You are required by that to tell me what you know."
"It was Cadet Granger, sir."
"Granger?" The Squadron Sergeant looked
surprised. "That is a surprise. I'd betted on Cadet
Potter."
"Harry or Heather?"
"Does it really matter?"
Ron smiled evilly. "Not really."
Sergeant Duckhorn sighed as she went silent
for a moment. When she spoke again, her command
was simple. "Go."
Ron smiled at her and gave her a quick salute,
then ran off to join the rest of the squadron. "Don't worry,
Harry, Hermione. As they say in the muggle world, the
Calvary is on their way."
*****
"Harry, I have a bit of a confession to make."
Hermione bit her lower lip in hope Harry's reaction
wouldn't be ghastly.
With droopy eyes, Harry tried to concentrate.
"Oh, what is it?"
Hermione exhaled and pulled out a small book
the size of a thumbnail out of her cloak in which she used
to keep Harry warm with. Its distinctive black onyx covers
were unmistakable. "It was too great of an opportunity,
Harry. I had to take it."
Harry said nothing, but the gray shade of his face
explained what he wanted to voice. When he was finally
able to speak, his voice was shaken. "When, how?"
"When we split to find Heather. I saw it lying there.
I made sure all the protection and tracking spells were
off of it before I dared to pick it up."
Harry groaned. "Is that why they are so determined
to kill us. Thanks, Hermione."
Hermione laughed and the sound of it made Harry
smile who heartedly for the first time in twenty-four hours.
"Well Harry, its not just us having the Onyx Spell Book
makes them want to kill us, but I am sure it added to the
drive."
Harry grimaced as pain shot through his rib cage.
"I think a few of them are broken along with my knee.
Why would I only just now be feeling the pain?"
"Shock." Hermione confirmed. "It just wish I could
give you something for the pain."
"I'm sure once Madame Pomfrey see me once we
get back to Hogwarts, she'll give me something."
"That is if she doesn't instantaneously send you to Saint
Mungo's." Hermione offered as she checked his rib cage with
her hands. She applied pressure to the third and the fourth rib
and Harry yelped in pain. She tore the bottom of her cloak and
wrapped it around Harry's chest and then splinted his knee.
"I hope that helps. We'd better be starting toward Hogwarts
here soon. We need to get as far as we can before Malfoy
and MacNeal find us."
As if on cue, a spell bounced off the front entrance of the
cave. "I think they already have."
Hermione cautiously went to the mouth of the cave. She
Smiled a moment later and then moved from where she was
Hiding to full view of whoever was standing outside.
"Hermione, get down!" Harry yelled at her.
Hermione chuckled as Ron and the rest of Red
Squadron joined her at the mouth of the cave. "Why?
Its just Ron?"
Harry moaned. "That could have been Malfoy. You
could have been killed."
"Not possible."
"How do you explain that?"
"Because," Hermione explained as she and Ron
approached him, "if it had been anyone but Ron, they
would have just ran inside here. When Ron shot the side
of the entrance, he was letting me know it was him. My
goodness Harry. You think you would have paid attention
in survival class."
"We have to get out of here." Ron stated as he
helped Harry to stand, or at least the best he could
with the help of Kamal. "When we landed, Malfoy and
MacNeal weren't too far behind." Ron then noticed
Harry's state of being. "Merlin, mate, you're in a right
state."
"Trust me, I feel as bad as I look." Harry grinned
at Ron, then he commanded as the four of them made
their way to the outside of the cabin. "Let's go then."
Once Hermione came out of the cave, after she
shrunk the book back down to place in her pocket, she
noticed how they came. "We're flying?"
"Well we can't apperate now can we? After all
we're still on Hogwarts grounds." Ron answered. "I mean
how many times have you read Hogwarts: A History,
Hermione?"
Before Hermione could retort, a green light
whizzed by Hermione's head and hit the cavern wall
behind her. "Damn it, Draco! You missed!" the
voice of Danielle MacNeal yelled as she came out of
the brush in an attack stance.
"Take cover!" Hermione commanded as Kamal,
Harry, and herself took cover behind a couple of fallen
trees.
"We know you have it, Mudblood." Malfoy
chastised. "We want it back."
"Why don't you come out and try to get it?"
Ron answered boldly.
"I will out of your cold, dead hands." Before
Draco Malfoy could laugh evilly at his own clichéd
joke, he quickly dodged a disarming spell from the
Red-headed man. "Expelleamus Totalous!"
"OOO!" Danielle MacNeal exclaimed as she
shot another spell in their direction. "So they did
teach you something in my home country. How nice."
Hermione took a turn at shooting a spell in
in their direction. As she shrunk back behind the log,
she checked on Harry's condition. "Harry?"
With his eyes closed, Harry Potter lay there
limply. "He's out cold. I suppose he's better off that
way for the time being." Kamal offered Hermione
when he noticed her worried reaction.
"He has a concussion." Hermione snapped.
"Until we could get him back to Madame Pomfrey,
I was hoping he'd stay awake. If there is too much
damage he won't wake up."
"What happens if he doesn't wake up?
Aren't there potions that will revive people?"
"The only exist only in your head." Sarah
commented as she chanted another couple of
spells from behind a boulder nearby. When she
duck back behind the boulders to protect her
from an on coming spell, she noticed Hermione's
raised eyebrow. "What? My father is the magical
equivalent of an EMT. Granted I don't have the
study habits to be a healer, but that much I do know."
Hermione smiled at her, but not too long as
she ducked from another spell. "We have to get
Harry some medical attention, Ron."
"We're working on it, Granger." Anthony
called over his shoulder.
Hermione growled as she kneeled back
up to cast another spell at their enemies. She
watched as Sarah, Anthony, Kamal, and Ron
flung spells back and forth with Danielle
MacNeal and Draco Malfoy. "I thought they
would have a whole gang of Death Eaters
With them, but I think its just the two of them."
"They must have taken a look at the
book." Ron offered.
"No shit Sherlock!" Anthony yelled as
he dodged another spell. "The question is
how the hell are we going to neutralize the situation."
Sarah giggled. "You know, you just sounded
like Professor Knut there for a moment."
Anthony grinned at her before he fired spells
in their opponents direction. "So what do you say
"acting cadet sergeant"? Got any good plans to get
us out of here?"
"A few, but they're all pretty risky." Hermione
flung another spell in their adversaries direction. She
smiled then muttered so only Ron could hear. "I wish
Harry wasn't knocked out right now. He's always been
the best at Defense Against the Dark Arts. He'd know
what to do."
"So what would Harry do in a situation such as
this?" Kamal asked her. "Perhaps something like we
learned in our Stealth and Tracking classes."
Hermione thought back for a moment to all
of the command scenarios they had performed.
"When we get back, I am going to suggest to
Professor Knut that she should add a few Squadron
Leader M.I.A/K.I.A scenarios to be added to the
Curriculum."
"Oh, she has them, but we're not suppose
to see them until our junior year and that's only
the officers in the R.O.T classes."
"Alright." Hermione held a hand up for them
to hold their comments until after she finished. "You
three, keep them busy while Sarah and I go around
and attack from behind."
The three conscious men nodded and started
to fire shots as their female teammates rounded on
their enemies. Once safely behind a rock face,
Hermione and Sarah quickly plotted. "You think they
saw us?" Sarah asked.
"It doesn't look like it." Hermione smiled evilly.
"I'll take Malfoy. You get MacNeal. At the count of
three and cast a prefectus totalus charm. We do
want them alive."
"Are you sure?" Sarah smiled playfully back
at Hermione. "Hermione, you're evil. Sneaking up
like this and everything. Its utterly classic! It's really
something you would see on T.V."
"And there is our advantage." Hermione took
a risk and looked around the rock face where they
were hiding. "Malfoy has never seen a telly let alone
watch one."
The ladies took a moment to chuckle then
they went to business. "On the count of three…one…
two…perfectus totalus!"
The spell did indeed hit one of the targets.
Danielle MacNeal had taken that exact moment to
dodge the spell by leaning down to pick up something
off the ground while Draco Malfoy slumped down where
he hid behind the brush.
Once Danielle MacNeal realized what had
happened to her boyfriend, she fired back. She then
realized how impossible the odds were. "You haven't
heard the last of us." She called as she took the man
of her life's body on her broomstick and flew off.
As Hermione watched them fly off, she
thought to herself. "I'd be disappointed if it was."
*****
.