Chapter 13: New Hogwarts' New Champion
A shiver shot up Hermione's spine as Sinistra turned her gaze on her mirror image. Hermione knew those crimson eyes, she seen them every time she closed her eyes. "Sinister," Hermione growled, gripping her wand tighter.
"Bingo! Got it in one!" Sinistra chimed, placing her fists on her hips. "Nice to finally meet you face to face, Hermione."
"How?" Hermione questioned, still aiming her wand at Sinistra's chest.
"Simple really, father tried to find away to copy your magical essence but he just never could figure out where it came from. The best he could figure out was it had something to do with some anomaly in your DNA not unlike the mutation that causes the gifts in mutants, only this was far, far more complex," Sinistra explained. "So when he couldn't give himself the ability to do magic like you, he made me. All your innate abilities, all your memories and knowledge gained from five years at Hogwarts and facing Voldie-baby, and added his own genius mind! Simply brilliant if you asked me."
"You're insane …" Hermione narrowed her eyes.
"Yeah, well we all have our problems, don't we?" Sinistra asked cocking her head to the side.
Hermione glanced over at Harry, and saw he had already drawn his wand, "Harry, go help Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape and get the students out of here. I'll handle her."
"Hermione, she's dangerous, I won't let you face her alone!" Harry protested.
"Harry, her magical knowledge comes from me," Hermione stated knowingly. "You don't know every spell, charm, or curse she does. I do. Go help them. You don't have to be the hero every time you know?" Harry stood there, and just stared at her, mentally warring with himself about what he should do. "Harry, I need to do this on my own. She represents everything that happened to me while I was unconscious those months. If I'm to survive I have to take her down."
"Unconscious?" Sinistra blinked, "You really don't remember do you?"
"Be careful, Hermione," Harry stated, giving in, knowing that no one could change her mind when she had decided what she wanted to do. Harry nodded and dashed to where Professor McGonagall was trying to awaken Dumbledore.
"Ok, Ms. Conservative, its just you and me now, leave the other students out of this," Hermione stated firmly.
"Why? They don't deserve you saving them, and you know it!" Sinistra stated, her hands beginning to glow red. "Have you forgotten the teasing, the name calling, all the times that it was said you only followed the Great Harry Potter because you wanted to get in his pants like every other teenaged girl here, you still want to save your persecutors?"
"Shut up!" Hermione growled, "Flipendo!" Hermione called as a beam of light shot from her wand and hit Sinistra in the chest sending her for a flip in the air.
Sinistra laughed heartedly before jumping back to her feet, "Hit a sore spot, did I?" She asked stepping toward the seething Gryffindor, "Even Harry and Ron talked about you behind your back once, or have you forgotten that to? Both your secret crushes talking about how much of a know it all you were, oh that tickled didn't it, Deary?"
"Stupefy!" Hermione barked, and shot another beam at the approaching villainess, only this time Sinistra sidestepped the beam.
"You know they probably both are angry at you, who knows what would have happened if Father and Mystique hasn't taken you," Sinistra mused, "Oh I'm sure Ron and Harry wouldn't mind you using Ron to get back at Harry for the pain he caused you in the fifth year, nor would Harry, would they?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, STUPEFY!" She called, sending a stronger burst from her wand, and once again narrowly missing.
"I remember the letter you wrote, but never sent. Its still in your trunk, isn't it, Mione?" Sinistra asked getting in the trembling with rage girl's face. "I can quote it for you if you'd like? Harry, I am writing this letter to let you know something, something of the utmost importance concerning our friendship. I want to know why. Why Cho Change? We have been together since first year, and yet you never notice me. Am I not pretty enough for you? Am I not smart enough? I'm not asking for you to fall in love with me, I just want to know, do you see me as a girl or just Hermione the buddy? I just want to know. Signed, Hermione. Did I miss any part of it?"
"Shut up … Shut … up … SHUT … UP … SHUT UP!!!" Hermione called before wearing back and slugging Sinistra hard across the jaw, intensely surprising the clone.
Sinistra stared up at Hermione with eyes as wide as saucers, "You … Y-you hit … You hit me!"
"You're memories are around a year out of date," Hermione stated, glaring down at the girl.
Hermione grabbed the clone by the cloak, and pulled her off the floor, "And before we start this there's something you might like to know." Hermione said a sinister gleam churning in her chocolate eyes. "He was as good as I dreamed." With that Hermione reared back and punched Sinistra face, causing several loud crunching sounds to come from the now much smaller and wider nose on the pale skinned girl.
Sinistra stumbled back holding her face, before letting go and glaring at Hermione with hatred burning in her now glowing eyes. She licked some of the blood that was coming from her nose from her upper lip, before letting her hands blaze, "You're going down!" She hissed, diving at the ready Hermione.
Hermione caught Sinistra by her wrists, and, in one of the first defense moves Wolverine taught her, rolled back with her, and kicked her in the stomach, launching her out of the Great Hall and into the hallway. Hermione rolled back to her feet before dashing after the girl, with a well-placed knee to the kneeling villain's face.
Harry glanced up at Ron from Dumbledore's side, and they both agreed and said in unison. "Where's Collin when you need him?"
Hermione threw another punch at the dazed Sinistra, but She barely missed, and brought her elbow hard into Hermione's ribs, causing a slight crunch sound to erupt as well as a small spray of blood that came with Hermione's yelp of pain.
Hermione fought back the pain using some of the mental and physical fighting techniques she's learned from Logan, and readied herself just before Sinistra continued her assault, returning the favor for her nose.
The Head Girl stumbled back but refused to fall off her feet once, and shook off the haze and nausea that came from the blood in her mouth and nose. "Why won't you go down? You pathetic little bookworm!"
"A pathetic little bookworm I may be," Hermione grunted, tackling Sinistra to the ground, "But I'll die before I let you near my friends!"
Sinistra flipped Hermione to her back, making her gasp when her back hit the cold hard tile floor of New Hogwarts. But Sinistra's small victory was short lived as two uniform shoe heels came up and pushed her chin upwards.
The pale skinned girl stumbled backwards holding her jaw, before spitting out some blood, "Damn it, you made me bite the end of my tongue!"
"Now who's pathetic?" Hermione asked, giving her a leg sweep before climbing back to her feet. A realization suddenly hit Hermione, "Didn't get Sinister's healing ability did you, Sinistra?" Hermione asked, a pained smile crossing her lips at her opponent's bruised and bloodied face.
"SHUT UP YOU LITTLE BUSHY HAIRED TRAMP!" Sinistra yelled, diving at Hermione who narrowly side stepped the attack.
"Hit a sore spot, did I?" Hermione mocked in the exact same tone Sinistra used on her.
Sinistra spun around and fired an energy blast, which connected and burned deep into Hermione's shoulder. Hermione yelp in pain, but spun around with her wand. "Incendio!" Hermione called, and Sinistra's cloak caught fire and burned her shoulders and back before she could get it off.
"It's over, Sinistra," Hermione stated, her wand pointed at the heavily breathing murderer.
"It's over when I say it's over!" Sinistra yelled, diving at Hermione, shoving her out the window at her back, the two tumbling to the ground many stories below.
Hermione could barely hear Harry calling her name from the shattered window, that was quickly disappearing from view, when she felt a hand grip the back of her robes jerking her fall to a stop making her stomach bounce. She glanced up and was surprised to see Draco smirking down at her, "Nice of you to drop in, Mudblood."
Hermione gulped when Draco jerked her a few times before moving back up toward the window, between her position and her rapidly blurring vision, she never once noticed Draco's flapping crimson wings.
Draco hauled Hermione back to the window and handed her over to the obviously terrified Harry.
Harry glanced at the flying Draco, "You're Darkangel?" he asked in awe.
"Hmm, no splat. I wonder what happened to Ms. Sunshine?" Draco dodged the questioned looking toward the ground.
"Why, Malfoy? Why have you helped me, and helped her?" Harry asked, watching the floating Slytherin carefully.
"Don't read into it too much, Potter," Draco said turning in the air, "You are as much family to Gin as her real brothers, you both are. I … don't want to risk seeing her sad. I don't like it."
With that Draco was gone, and Harry lowered the battered Hermione to the floor. He looked over her, and his heart stopped at just how hurt she was. Her nose was broken, her face was cut bruised and bloody, and her school uniform was torn and dirty. "H-Harry?"
"Hermione, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, please, please forgive me," Harry begged holding the girl in his arms, as a crowd began to gather.
"X-Men … don't cry, Potter," Hermione teased, brushing a tear from her boyfriend's cheek.
"Tell that to your uncle," Harry smiled, "He's a sucker for sappy American romance movies."
"S-Sinistra?" Hermione forced out. Her vision almost totally blurred now.
"You beat her, Mione, you saved us. She took out Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape, I doubt anyone else could have stopped her, Hermione, you saved all of us," Harry said quickly and panicky.
"Good," Hermione slurred, her consciousness wavering. "Tell our teachers I'll miss the next few classes, I believe I need a nap," She said before her eyes shut and she slipped into unconsciousness.
"Hermione? Hermione!" Harry shook her, "HELP, SOMEONE HELP!" Harry called as Madam Pomfrey finally pushed through the crowd.
Harry ran along side Hermione, as Madam Pomfrey used the Mobilicorpus spell to carry Hermione to the infirmary.
"Mr. Potter, take the girl to your usual bed, please," Madam Pomfrey instructed, as she moved for her equipment and potions.
"Oh, dear, will have to use do some major regrowing on her nose," Pomfrey said, looking over Hermione, shoving Harry out of the way for the second time, "Her ribs will need to be mended, and a possible concussion. Looks like a sedative potion will be needed as well."
"Sedative? Is she in pain? Please tell me, Ma'am, please," Harry asked incredibly worried.
"Dear boy, the sedative isn't for her," Pomfrey stated, smirking at the boy who was freaking out, "It's for the annoying boyfriend who is going to have a nervous breakdown over nothing."
"Oh … heh …"
X-X-X-X-X
Mud and water splattered as Harry, Wolverine, Storm, Jubilee, Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Gambit, and Rogue ran down the muddy path.
"We have to get to the jet!" Storm ordered from behind.
Suddenly a figure appeared in front of them causing them all to come to a complete stop, and taking battle stances.
"Hello, Potter," Voldemort hissed, "Why are you leaving so soon?"
"Voldemort …" Harry snarled.
"What's wrong, Mage is it? Afraid to face me alone?" Voldemort laughed.
"X-Men stand together," Shadowcat said bravely stepping up to stand at Harry's side.
"How sweet," Voldemort sighed, "I get to rob you of yet another loving family, it's a pity."
"Get to the X-Jet," Harry whispered dangerously, "This is my fight."
No, Harry …" Shadowcat started but Wolverine touched her shoulder and shook his head.
"Alright Runt," he said seriously, "We'll be back to pick you up. Can you hold on that long?"
"I think so," Harry nodded, "Now get going, I'll hold off Voldie," He said giving Voldemort a smirk that would make Wolverine proud.
"I have no problem with that," Voldemort nodded, not taking his snake-like eyes off Harry, "I will kill them all later, but I would prefer to kill you alone, Harry. So that I can thoroughly enjoy your demise."
"Bring it on … Bub," Harry said, earning a grin from Wolverine.
The X-Men ran toward the X-Jet, some more reluctant then others.
"Ok then, shall we begin?" Harry asked drawing his wand and running a hand through his soaked hair.
Harry started to say a spell when a voice called behind him, "Avada Kadavra!"
Harry turned to see a green beam heading toward him, and he had no time to escape.
'Hermione …' He thought one last time as the beam hit his chest and his body fell limp to the wet hard ground. His eyes remained open staring at the cloudy sky and the storm's down pour. His lifeless ears not hearing Voldemort's victory laugh.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X
Hermione's eyes snapped open, and she glanced around to find herself lying in the hospital bed in the Infirmary. She glanced down to her side to see a mop of dark hair resting near her hand. "Hey, sleepyhead, time to wake up," She said hoarsely flipping him in the head.
"Wha … Hermione! You're awake!" Harry cried happily, jumping to his feet, running away from the bed before she could respond. Hermione blushed when she heard Harry yelling, "MADAM POMFREY, HERMIONE'S AWAKE! SHE'S AWAKE!"
Harry came running back, "You're going to be ok, Hermione, you're going to be ok!" Harry said, holding her hand with both his.
"Mr. Potter, you're going to make the poor girl think she dieing or something," Pomfrey said, shooing Harry away so she could check over the newly awaken Hermione.
"Concussion seems to have healed," Pomfrey said to herself as she shinned a light into Hermione's eyes. "Nose is all better," she said running her finger along the bridge of the girls nose, then poking her in the side, causing her to jump, "Ribs seem to be healed. You're going to be sore for a few days, but you seem to have healed nicely, Ms. Granger."
Pomfrey turned to Harry, "I'll let you stay with her and explain what she's missed, but if you or her get too excited I'll be forced to ask you to leave. Understood, Mr. Potter?"
"Understood," Harry nodded.
Pomfrey nodded, and went back to her other work, as Harry sat down beside his girlfriend. "I've been out for over a week haven't I, Harry? And you haven't left my side except to possibly go to the lavatory."
"Why, how did you know?" Harry blinked in confusion.
"Elementary my dear," Hermione smiled up at him, resting back in her large pillow, "Exhibit A: You have past the point of shadow and approaching beard. Do shave soon, Harry, it really doesn't look good on you. Exhibit B: You have a very interesting fragrance. And Exhibit C: I'm so stiff I can barely move, showing I've been here for several days. Any questions?"
"Has anyone ever told you you're too smart for you own good, Mione," Harry smiled, and stroked her cheek, "I'm … I'm so sorry for not believing you."
"It's ok really, Harry," Hermione smiled weakly, "If our situation was reversed I would have probably suspected you as well."
"The situation was reversed once, Hermione," Harry said glancing over at the pile of gifts at the foot of her bed. "Twice. And both times you refused to give up your faith in me, and here I was …"
"Harry, I lost faith those times too," Hermione said blushing crimson, "School girl crush kind of negated that though."
"Oh," Harry said, his appearance seeming to deflate.
"Don't sulk," Hermione ordered. "What happened to Sinistra?"
"We don't know," Harry shook his head. "She didn't make it to the ground from her fall, we're not sure what happened to her. Logan couldn't pick up a scent and Professor Xavier couldn't sense her either. She just kind of … disappeared." Harry then gripped her hand. "I doubt we'll be seeing her for a while anyway. You really handed it to her, Mione." His eyes lit up then, and he reached at the foot of her bed, "Oh this came out while you were out, read the headline!" Harry said holding a edition of the Daily Prophet.
"New Hogwarts' New Champion?" Hermione read, and glanced in confusion at Harry.
"It says, The murderer who has been identified only as Sinistra attacked the newly opened New Hogwarts today and soundly defeated Head Master Albus Dumbledore and The Boy Who Lived Harry Potter, but when it all seemed lost Hermione Granger, seventh year student and first Head Girl stood and faced the murderer. Though seriously injured herself, she was fully able to defer Sinistra's attack and save the student body and faculty where Dumbledore and Potter failed," Harry read, then smiled at his confused girlfriend, "Seems they like pounding Professor Dumbledore and me, but you're the new golden girl."
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," a voice called from the foot of Hermione's bed. Harry and Hermione both glanced and were surprised to see Cho Change standing there holding a bouquet of flowers.
"Hello, Cho," Harry greeted a blush crawling on his cheeks.
"Hello," Hermione said, a bit less friendly, and making sure the intruding girl saw her holding Harry's hand. Hermione, for safety sake, brought Harry's hand to her lips to give a small kiss just to make sure it was clear.
"I hope you're feeling better," Cho smiled and sat the flowers at the table at the foot of her bed among her other gifts.
"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Hermione!" Harry gapped, surprised at Hermione's rude, almost Ron-like behavior.
"She was a year ahead of us, Harry, she should have graduated last year," Hermione explained, still watching Cho like a hawk. "So I ask again, what are you doing here?"
"I missed too much last year, and couldn't graduate," Cho explained, "So I had to come back this year to retake my seventh year classes."
Hermione looked Cho over, she hadn't changed much, her hair was a bit shorter, and as expected was wearing a Ravenclaw uniform and her fingers were adorn with a strange metallic color nail polish. Hermione didn't know why, but something about Cho worried her, but that could just be because she was Harry's first official girlfriend.
"Well then, I only wanted to bring the flowers and say hello, I hope we can get together and get to know each other better Hermione. Nice seeing you again, Harry," Cho said, waving slightly before walking away.
Harry watched her leave before turning to Hermione, "If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you were jealous."
"Good thing you know better then, huh, Harry?" Hermione laid back and rested her eyes. "Besides, she's the one jealous, not me. You're mine not hers, and I think that's what she came to check out." She then opened her eyes and glanced at her boyfriend. "You have been keeping a list for me to catch up on my homework, haven't you?"
"No need, classes have been postponed until Professor Dumbledore was sure Sinistra isn't going to be showing back up," Harry explained. "Professor Dumbledore made the announcement earlier that classes will begin tomorrow. If you get out tonight, you might make the first class."
"Good, and Harry," Hermione yawned glancing at her pile of gifts.
"Yes, Love?"
"Go take a shower and shave, you smell and look like Fang."
To Be Continued