'Harry' Hermione panted after about 10 more minutes of running, she had let go of him a moment ago. Harry turned to look at her and without realising what he was doing he had gone quickly back to her and wrapped his arms around her as she collapsed to the ground.
'Hermione!' Harry whispered before looking quickly around for help, there was none, but in the distance he could make out a house, or at least a building of some sort, Harry made the quick decision that leaving Hermione here was not a good idea, so he pulled her into his arms and started in the direction of the building.
It seemed to take forever to reach it; he was exhausted from carrying the unconscious Hermione such a distance and laid her carefully on the grown and sitting beside her for a moment before reaching up and knocking politely on the door.
Harry looked back at Hermione while he waited, and looked up the gap of the door as it opened and found himself looking at a House Elf.
'Er, Hello, is your master home?' Harry said temporarily stunned at fining himself at a Wizards house.
'Is sir in need of help?' The house elf asked looking from Harry to Hermione.
'Er, Yeah, just a little bit'.
'Tillie will get her master' the elf said and disappeared behind the door. While he wanted Harry ran his fingers gently across Hermione's cut cheek and down her right arm, the golden chain with lightning bolts was still clutched in her hand, he had seen it before, when Voldemort had got hold of him, he hand almost been strangled by the chain, Voldemort had used this method to force Harry to touch it, as he had refused to do so. Lost in thought, Harry didn't realise the owner of the house and the elf had returned, he was suddenly brought out of his daydream when his name was spat so close to his ear that is made him jump.
'Potter! What do you think you're doing here?' Harry looked up to find himself looking at none other than his old Potions master; Severus Snape. Snape glared at him for a moment then decided he didn't really want to know the answer to the question. 'Never mind' he said bending down and picking Hermione up. 'Get inside. Now!' he said and Harry did as he was told, followed by the elf who took her obedient position by the door ready to close it after Snape entered.
Had this been any other situation, Harry would have marvelled at being inside his greasy potion masters house, but his mind was pre-occupied with Hermione, he followed Snape into a room off the main corridor and over to a bed that stood against the far wall. Snape laid Hermione carefully down and spat instructions at Harry.
'Stay here and don't touch anything Potter, which includes Miss Granger' Snape turned and left quickly his usual grubby black cloak billowing behind him.
Harry was only alone with Hermione in the room for a short time, before the door opened and Tillie showed 3 wizards into the room, Albus Dumbledore who bowed to the elf as he passed, Remus Lupin and a squat red-haired woman who spared no time in reaching Hermione's side.
'Mrs Weasley, what are you doing here?' Harry asked, he could understand Dumbledore and Lupin, but Molly Weasley he didn't understand. Harry didn't receive an answer, instead Dumbledore started to ask questions.
'Harry, how did you end up here?'
'Voldemort had us in the middle of a field, Pettigrew was there, he was going to do something to Hermione, but I told Voldemort that I saved Pettigrew's life, it made him angry and he let go of me, so I ran, got Hermione and just ran. I don't remember getting here, that much. Hermione collapsed, I looked around for help or signs of life and this house was all I could see.'
'It's here Albus; she doesn't have it on yet.' Mrs Weasley added in.
'Thank you Molly, leave it there for the time being. Harry, the chain Hermione is holding, have you touched it?' Dumbledore continued.
'Yeah, Voldemort tried to give it to me, but I would't take it, Pettigrew nearly strangled me with it.' Harry said, again reliving the memory in his head.
'And your skin has come in contact with Hermione's since she has been holding the chain?'
'Yeah, I pulled her to her feet and kept hold of her while we ran from Voldemort, I let go...' Harry trailed off now seeing the pattern.
'You let go before she collapsed?' Lupin asked.
'Yeah, as soon as I let go she started to fall behind, it was minutes before she was unconscious.' Harry explained. Lupin's head had dropped to his chest.
'She has to wear the chain Albus, she can't put it down or let go of it, it needs pure contact with her skin now.'
'What's going on?' Harry asked getting annoyed with the conversation.
'Hermione has to be in contact with the chain until it vanishes Harry, you are connected to each other though it, and if the contact between it and her skin stops, so do both your lives.' Mrs Weasley's voice broke as she finished the explanation.
'Come Harry, Remus will help Molly with Hermione's chain, you will come with me.' Harry got up, looked back at Hermione then followed the old Headmaster from the room.
Harry sat with Dumbledore for several minutes before Remus and Molly arrived having carefully moved the chain from Hermione's hand to her ear after making the needed holes to accommodate it. The lights in the house had slowly lit themselves as night had fallen and Harry's usual temper at Voldemort's interference had returned, he wanted this to end, and he wanted it to end now.
Getting up after a few hours in bed, Harry made his way to Hermione's room, sat at her side for a few moments before kissing her gently on the cheek, and leaving the house.
Determined to return to the place he had left mere hours ago, Harry found himself quickly in front of Voldemort and Pettigrew again.
'Back so soon' Voldemort retorted, 'and where is your pretty friend?'
'That's not your concern.' Harry said, his face fixed, he was going to end this, or die trying.
Harry drew his wand at the same time as Voldemort, but Harry was slightly quicker, Voldemort was half way though is Avanda Kedavara curse when his wand left his hand, Harry caught it, and turned it on its owner, and placed it in his right hand with his own wand. The two wands began to vibrate in his palm, he watched them with interest and before he knew what was happening a blinding light filled the area and Harry past out.
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